In Loving Memory of Sally Amanda Cooper
Friday 28th January 2022
13.30 - Bolton Methodist Church, Eccleshill, Bradford
Sally was born on 7th August 1958 in Newark on Trent , Nottinghamshire, to John and Beryl Wilson who ran a newsagents and stationers shop in the centre of town.Sally liked to help in the shop and particularly liked selling greetings cards out of the boxes.
Sadly, Sally’s father died of lung cancer when she was 3 years old, so she and her mother had to leave the shop and move to the home she lived in until leaving to get married.
Sally went to Lovers Lane infant and junior school. She was given the job of ringing the school bell at play times because she had a watch. Here she met and befriended Corinna, a friendship which was to last a lifetime.
Sally’s mother died when she was 6 years old and her Auntie Joan was appointed her guardian. Auntie Joan and Grandma moved in with Sally to look after her. Auntie Joan always did her best to ensure that Sally had an upbringing which was as happy and fulfilled as possible.
Sally then attended the Lilley and Stone high school where she developed her love of languages, taking exams in French, German and Spanish. Here she made more friends who she kept in touch with throughout her life.
After school Sally went to the Doncaster College of Education to study French and English and train as a nursery and infants teacher. Here she again made some more friends for life, among them art student Edwin. Sally and Edwin bonded and officially became a couple on 21st February 1977 and got engaged two years later. During this time Sally studied in Tours, France for 6 weeks. Here again she made more friends for life.
After college the couple were looking for work, Edwin got a job in Bradford for a term and decided to stay.
After the disappointment of being unable to attend a friend’s wedding because of a transport strike Sally decided that she wanted a wedding of her own. With determination, and knowing exactly what she wanted, she organised the wedding in 3 months with the support of Auntie Joan and “professional” bridesmaid, Karen.
After a few odd jobs Sally got a job for 6 weeks at the University of Bradford Library, she stayed there for 34½ years.
In the early years, especially working at the Management Library, Sally got to know some of the students quite well and still exchanged Christmas cards with one or two. She would always go the extra mile to help someone for example, by checking their English, “encouraging” them to get on with their dissertation or darning their jumper.
Throughout her life Sally was plagued by ill health, but that did not dampen her resolve to do the right thing a help people. Often, from her hospital bed she would send Edwin into work with instructions to ensure that a promise to a student was fulfilled.
During her time at the University, Sally became an avid charity fundraiser. Over the years well over £10,000 was raised for over 40 charities by Sally and her colleagues.
Sally eventually left the University, taking “early" retirement in December 2018, after making even more lasting friendships. She went to work as a volunteer in the local Barnardo’s shop. Sally thought it appropriate that she had returned to her roots in retail, and was delighted when she was able to help somebody with the greetings cards. She felt that her life had truly come “full circle".
One ambition since her teens was to learn Italian and travel to Italy. She began to teach herself the language, hoping to find a tutor if ever the lockdowns stopped.
Sadly, her ambition was not to be fulfilled as her life was cut short by cancer. On January 8th 2022 Sally passed away peacefully at home with Edwin by her side.