Jean-Louis Lafon (1937-2023)

Jean-Louis Lafon, better known as “Monsieur Astrophilatelie”, passed away on 29th January 2023, aged 85.

An engineer in the space industry, it was in 1975 that he first discovered his passion for astrophilately and in 1980 he won first prize in an open exhibition in the Netherlands. In France he joined the Maurepas philatelic society where he was an active member and a for a long time a member of the Board. In 1995 he was awarded a Vermeil Medal and qualified to exhibit internationally. He was elected Secretary of the FIP Astrophilately Commission in 2000 and again in 2004. In 2001 he formed the Astrophilately Association of France (called the 2AF).

He was awarded the GAPHIL Silver Medal in 2006 in recognition of his commitment to philately in the Île-de-France, and the Biscara Plaquette by the FFAP (the French Federation) in 2007. He chaired the 2AF Association until 2015, and then continued to support the organisation by becoming its First Vice-President. In his last entry as an exhibitor, in PARISPHILEX 2018, he was awarded the first ever French Gold Medal in Astrophilately.

Jean-Louis definitely left his mark both in France and internationally. RIP.