Son left stunned as dad dies on break

THE son of an East Lothian church elder and former fire service boss has spoken of his shock after his father's sudden death while on holiday in Malta.

David Cooper, 53, who lived in Port Seton, was airlifted to hospital from the island of Gozo last Thursday after he became unwell on a day trip with his wife, Lorraine.

The father-of-three - a former head of training at Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service - was rushed into surgery but passed away a short time later.

It was later confirmed that he had suffered an aortic aneurysm - a bulge in a section of the body's main artery which can be fatal if it ruptures.

Mr Cooper, who was described as "energetic and vibrant", enjoyed an active life within the Port Seton community where he had lived for more than 30 years.

His twin daughters, Deborah and Jennifer, 26, travelled to Malta last Thursday after being told their father had fallen ill.

Mr Cooper's son, Stewart, 28, who had his father as his best man at his wedding last May, said his dad was "the most genuinely nice person you'd ever meet".

He said: "My parents arrived in Malta last Tuesday and had been having a really nice time.

"They decided to take a boat over to Gozo and my dad had been feeling unwell, but it soon became clear that he was really ill and needed help."

Stewart said breaking the news of his father's death to his grandparents, Margaret and David, who still live in the house where Mr Cooper was brought up in Edinburgh, was "one of the most heartbreaking experiences you can imagine".

He said: "What makes his death so difficult to comprehend is that he was such a fit, energetic man.

"Having been in the fire service for 33 years, he'd always taken care of himself and was a very fit individual.

"He was the best man at my wedding and I'm really glad that I asked him to do that for me."

He added: "He was the best dad possible, an extraordinarily kind and generous man who touched the lives of so many. While he will be greatly missed, we will always have the most wonderful memories."

Mr Cooper was well-known in the Cockenzie and Port Seton community as an elder of 13 years' standing and Sunday school teacher at Chalmers Memorial Church.

The former Tynecastle High School pupil retired from the fire service in 2009.

Alex Clark, assistant chief fire officer for Lothian and Borders, said: "He was a great boss, a real gentleman who was an extremely effective member of the fire service."

Funeral details are yet to be confirmed.