A Sad Loss

[Fingal]

One or two people on here met my syndicate partner George Cooper last summer. Sadly George passed away suddenly on Tuesday, aged 63. He was working on Cherry Ripe's refit and collapsed without warning. CPR started within a very few minutes, a small army of paramedics were very quickly on the scene and did what they do until it became clear he was not going to be resuscitated. A very sad event and our sympathies are with Linda and the family.

George only took up sailing in his fifties and was still on a pretty steep learning curve, but he was very good company aboard and always ready to try new tasks. His last words to me were to express satisfaction at having learned some more about how the boat's plumbing works.

I can't report this without taking the opportunity to praise the brilliant emergency response by the Port Edgar staff. Kenny George and all the yard staff demonstrated a textbook response, and in the words of the senior paramedic in the aftermath everything that should have been done, was done.

It does sound a bit corny, I know, but my co-owner Ian and I are proceeding with our plans to recommission the boat and deliver her to a mooring at Linnhe Marine in early April as the best tribute we can pay to our comrade.

[Nick]

One or two people on here met my syndicate partner George Cooper last summer. Sadly George passed away suddenly on Tuesday, aged 63. He was working on Cherry Ripe's refit and collapsed without warning. CPR started within a very few minutes, a small army of paramedics were very quickly on the scene and did what they do until it became clear he was not going to be resuscitated. A very sad event and our sympathies are with Linda and the family.

George only took up sailing in his fifties and was still on a pretty steep learning curve, but he was very good company aboard and always ready to try new tasks. His last words to me were to express satisfaction at having learned some more about how the boat's plumbing works.

I can't report this without taking the opportunity to praise the brilliant emergency response by the Port Edgar staff. Kenny George and all the yard staff demonstrated a textbook response, and in the words of the senior paramedic in the aftermath everything that should have been done, was done.

It does sound a bit corny, I know, but my co-owner Ian and I are proceeding with our plans to recommission the boat and deliver her to a mooring at Linnhe Marine in early April as the best tribute we can pay to our comrade.

I didn't know George, but this is indeed a sad story - and a warning to all of us to make the most of however much time we may have left.

Making the delivery trip to her new home a memorial voyage is a great idea.

[marisca]

Ken, that is sad indeed. I only met George a few times on Cherry Ripe and he was surprisingly enthusiastic about sailing with the old farts. It is a shame he didn't get the pleasure of sailing "his" boat on the west coast. My sympathies to you and Ian and my heartfelt condolences to his wife and family on their sudden loss.

[Telo]

Must have been a great shock for his family and friends, to whom I'm sure we all extend our deepest sympathies.

I think you are doing the right thing by continuing with your plans for Cherry Ripe; not corny at all. We look forward to seeing you at Linnhe Marine.

[claymore]

+1
A sad state of affairs indeed

[Rowana]

My deepest sympathies for your sad loss, and I'm sure George would want you to carry on with your plans.


Perhaps I might see you in Peterhead on your way round.

Jim

[jim.r]

Deepest sympathies.
One never knows what is round the corner.

One of my best friends died about 3 weeks ago. We did a lot of climbing and sailing together. He was 56 and only 6 months younger than me. We had dinner together just before Xmas and made lots of climbing and sailing plans for this year, he had just bought a boat last year.

At the end of January we got an urgent phonecall saying he was in IC, he had been diagnosed with cancer and had taken some chemo in prep for an operation and suffered a massive adverse reaction to the chemo and his body just shut down and life support was switched off.

The boat he bought 8 months ago is now up for sale, a Moody 31 in Plymouth.



I read this at the funeral.

Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea.

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home!

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;

For though from out our bourn of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.

[FullCircle]

A tragic loss, and one that is sadly not unfamiliar.
My Dad passed away suddenly aged 65, and his brother only 50.
Only 3 weeks ago, my Lead Engineer died suddenly on a team night out in front of all his colleagues. At 51, with no previous indications.

That is why I bought my boat at 50, even though I could not afford it cash. We have had Full Circle for 7 years, and each time I look at her, I know that I have gained the value from her.

I wish you well in finishing Cherry Ripe, and there can be no finer monument to man's effort than to see it used to happy effect.