Former Lady Mayoress dies aged 91 (From York Press)

Former Lady Mayoress Dorothy Cooper dies aged 91

7:49am Friday 25th May 2012 in News By Haydn Lewis, haydn.lewis@thepress.co.uk

MUCH-LOVED former Lady Mayoress and York school teacher Dorothy Cooper has died at the age of 91.

Known to her friends as Dolly, Mrs Cooper was married to former Bootham Labour councillor Ken Cooper, who died in 2000.

Mr Cooper was a city councillor for the old Bootham ward for about 50 years and was both Lord Mayor and Sheriff.

Mrs Cooper was at his side as the Lady Mayoress and Sheriff’s Lady, most recently in the late 1990s when Coun Ken King was Lord Mayor and the couple acted as his Sheriff and Sheriff’s Lady.

Mrs Cooper was a pupil at the old Mill Mount Girl’s Grammar School in York and the couple both worked at the city’s Rowntree’s factory.

After leaving the factory, Mrs Cooper trained as a teacher and worked at Carr Junior School in Acomb for about 20 years.

In her spare time Mrs Cooper, along with her husband, was involved with many community groups, including the Scouts. Mr Cooper was a governor at Haxby Road School for many years and Mrs Cooper was involved with Age Concern and sat on the board of governors at St Barnabas CE School.

York High School head teacher David Ellis was a family friend and knew the couple for about 25 years.

He said: “Dolly was a real character. The loveliest thing about her was even in her later years she was always incredibly positive.

“She was not one of those people who said the old days were best, she was always open to new ideas. She loved children and having children around her and my own children saw Ken and Dolly as a third set of grandparents.

“After Ken died, Dolly continued to be very social and there was always somebody visiting her and she was out and about most days. She loved York and she will be much missed.”

The couple lived in Haxby Road and were married for 53 years. Their only son, Andrew, died in his 30s and Mrs Cooper is survived by her sister Mary and brother Patrick.

Mrs Cooper’s funeral will take place at York Crematorium on Wednesday at 1.40pm with donations to the York branch of the Mesothelioma Society.