Willie Jones obituary

Willie Jones was much admired at Shrewsbury school, where he galvanised drama classes, was an outstanding pastoral teacher and a long-distance runner Photograph: none

My former English teacher Willie Jones, who has died aged 94, was an inspirational guide to thousands of students in the UK and, later, Japan. He combined a passion for texts with a warmth and patience that made the analysis of writing an adventure.

He could have become a students’ guru but shrank from leadership; his talent was a gentle helping hand. He wrote voluminously but suffered agonies over clarity and precision. His eyes welled when reciting Shakespeare.