Tribute to Mullion church organist and Cornwall teacher Colin Cooper

Colin Cooper had been living in Mullion, but was also formerly of Ruan Minor and had taught in Penzance and St Austell.

In 2014 he made the headlines of the Packet when he returned to playing the organ at Mullion Parish Church, despite having had one leg amputated.

What was expected to be a straightforward knee joint replacement the previous year, with a seven to ten-day recovery time, ended up as four operations in six weeks, during which time he suffered a major heart attack and was not expected to survive the weekend.

An infection then set in that meant Colin had his leg amputated – putting his lifelong love of organ playing in serious jeopardy.

However, a retired doctor working with the charity Remap, Dr Ian Royston, designed a lift that enabled him to continue playing, and as Colin himself said: "I must confess that the loss of one leg did not make much difference to my organ skill!"

Colin refers to the article in the eulogy he wrote in advance for himself, recalling: "I was reported in the local press as The One Legged Church Organist!"

His death has saddened Mullion and the wider community, with his younger son Nick saying: "The outpouring of love through messages, calls and cards has been overwhelming."

Colin pictured in 2014 after returning to play the organ at Mullion Parish Church despite havving his leg amputated

Colin was born in 1936 and brought up in Thornbury, near Bristol, the only child of Stanley and Grace Cooper.

He began playing the piano aged five and progressed to the organ before his feet could even reach the pedals.

He then switched entirely to the organ aged 15 and never looked back.

Church officers at the Baptist Chapel the family attended were so impressed by his skills that he became deputy organist at the age of 16 and later main organist.

After A-levels Colin studied music at Reading University, where his organ tutor was sub-organist for Westminster Abbey and had played at the Queen’s Coronation and the wedding of Princess Margaret.

While there he attended the Kings Road Baptist Chapel, which is where he met future wife Carol and her parents.

Carol went on to train as a teacher in Wrexham and the couple married in April 1961, honeymooning in Cornwall.

Although they could only stay for a week, due to work commitments, they loved the area between Looe and Truro so much they decided to apply for teaching positions in the Duchy.

Eventually their dream came true, and in January 1970 they moved to Cornwall with their three children, Alison, Christopher and Nicholas, both teaching at first in St Austell. It wasn't long before Colin was appointed organist at St John’s Methodist Chapel in St Austell.

After five years they both changed teaching jobs, Carol going to Hayle Community School and Colin as assistant head of music at Penzance Girls Grammar School.

They also moved to Ruan Minor, where Colin became church organist for 12 years and Carol started a village playgroup.

In 1988 he was appointed organist at Mullion Parish Church and played there for 28 years.

The couple went on to become grandparents to Charlotte and Georgia.

In early 2016 Carol was sadly taken seriously ill. After time at the Royal Cornwall Hospital and respite care at West Cornwall Hospital and Helston Community Hospital, she died suddenly, and unexpectedly, on September 28 that year, at Poldhu Care Home.

Son Nick had moved down two months earlier, and subsequently became Colin's registered carer. They had five years together, before Colin's death on February 21 this year at the Royal Cornwall Hospital.

A funeral service is now due to take place exactly a month later, on Monday, March 21, at Mullion Parish Church, at 12pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Colin can be made for the RNLI, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, St Petrocs and Ukraine, via https://funeral-notices.co.uk/notice/cooper/5021513 or at a retiring collection at the funeral. Alternatively, donations can be sent via RE Tonkin and Son funeral directors in Mullion.