TRIBUTES have been paid to Marilyn Cooper, clerk of Inwardleigh Parish Council and a founding member of Okehampton Running Club, who died last Wednesday.

Marilyn, aged 61, died after suffering a cardiac arrest which left her in a coma for several days.

She leaves her husband Paul, and two sons — Michael, 29, and Peter, 24.

Paul, a retired poultry adviser for the National Farmers’ Union, said he had been touched by the personal calls, cards and hundreds of tributes made on social media to his wife of 37 years.

He told the Times: ‘I want to thank everybody for their kind thoughts and I am touched that Marliyn will be missed by so many people. She was a crackin’ mum and a crackin’ wife. We had been through so much together in our 37 years but whatever life threw at us we always came through for the better in the end. She was a lovely, lovely woman.’

Marilyn, originally from Barnstaple, went to Edgehill College, Bideford and then Penkridge Agricultural College in Staffordshire, where she qualified as a farm secretary. She went on to become the farm secretary to the Fortescue Estate in Barnstaple.

She married Paul in 1979 and as well as raising her family she also worked for West Devon Borough Council planning department, Okehampton Medical Centre and for the past seven years as clerk to Inwardleigh Parish Council.

Over the years Marilyn was involved in many charities such as the Greyhound Trust and worked as a volunteer for her local riding club and Hatherleigh Primary School and was a founder member of the Hatherleigh Pre-School group as well as being a valued member of Inwardleigh Church.

One of her great passions was horses and with her mount Czar qualified twice for the prestigious Horse of the Year Show.

Marilyn was a founding member of Okehampton Running Club, joining the club having previously done a few local races on her own. Before long her times and fitness improved and she went on to run her first marathon in 2010 which was the London Marathon. She went on to take part in many marathons and completed three World Marathon Majors, with the aim of eventually completing all six.

Last year Marilyn qualified to represent Great Britain in her age group at the European Duathlon Championships taking place later this year.

Paul remembered when his wife first caught the running ‘bug’ after her son had taken part in a half marathon in Bath.

He said: ‘Marilyn hadn’t done much training and she entered the Ruby Run (between Holsworthy and Hatherleigh). I was trying to track her in the car and so I wound down the window to ask the runners where she was. There were lads there from the local football and cricket clubs, more than half her age.

‘One said to me “Don’t ask me about Marilyn, she passed me about a quarter of an hour ago”.’

Marilyn was also running club correspondent for the Okehampton Times, spending hours trawling through results to send in reports and taking every opportunity to promote the club.

Paul said: ‘She was such a remarkable lady. I will miss her very much.’

A celebration of Marilyn’s life is to be held at St Petroc’s Church in Inwardleigh tomorrow (Friday) at 2pm. Marilyn had requested that no-one should wear black clothing. Family flowers only, although donations are being taken for the Retired Greyhound Trust and Edgar’s Gift c/o A H Johns and Son Funeral Services on 01237 431987.

See this week’s sports pages for Okehampton Running Club’s tribute to Marilyn.