Obituary from "Around Kent Folk"

A Commemoration of Bob Copper, 6.1.1915 to 29.3.2004

We were greatly saddened by this "Gentleman of the Folk Scene's" going on.  Our lasting memories of Bob will be his smile - whenever you saw him, you'd see that lovely smile.

His last weekend was spent surrounded by his extensive family, having gone to Buckingham Palace to collect his MBE on the 25th.  Family celebration followed for most of the weekend.  He went the way all folkies would enjoy - singing!

There will be many anecdotes about Bob.  Some of ours include the garden singaround at Sweeps 2000, when a lot of us nearly ended up with sunstroke - there's Bob still singing merrily and drinking his beer.  Tenterden 1999, when the family were nearly late for a concert because he was chasing girls up and down the street! Sandwich Fokl Club when he wasn't well and in a lot of pain.  Next morning up in his attic looking out new songs.  As he always said "It's not the singer but the song that matters".

As Bob wrote himself in "Bob Copper's Sussex":

"Shed no tear, but merely say,
A sod's returned to Sussex clay" (1951)

He seemed to believe in a happy singing life for everyone.  He will be best remembered by the singing of us all.

Katy & Bob Drage