Joan Caws died November 2, 2017… I got this email from Richard Beckwith24@msn.com who said he received an email From: Ian Caws ianhenrycaws@gmail.com  “Rich, I regret that Joan passed away yesterday, Ian”  (Ian Henry Caws)

WGM Joan Caws was a former World Women's Champion from the Ryde, Isle of Wight, England.  WGM Joan Caws was England's greatest
ladies draughts player.  WGM Patricia Breen won her World 3-Move Women's Championship Title from WGM Joan Caws in 1993. 

United Kingdom and Irish Draughts Federation, in partnership with the American Checker Federation, endorsed and organized the first Women's World Championship Tournament, held at Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1986. The competition was won by Joan Caws of the Isle of Wight without the loss of a game, and Joan became the first official Women's World Champion. Joan Caws made her first title defense in a match against American challenger Faye Clardy in 1987. Joan successfully defended her title by the close score of 6-5-8. Joan made a second defense in 1989 against the newly crowned 13-year-old Irish Women's Champion Patricia Breen of Carlow. This challenge produced one of the games' greatest matches and ended in a tie score of 6-6-8, with the World Champion having to return from five wins down to retain her title by virtue of being undefeated. A re-match between Joan Caws and Patricia Breen took place at Weston-Super-Mare, England, in 1993. Patricia won the coveted title in convincing fashion by the score of 8-1-5.