The trustees of COFEPOW (Children, Families and Friends of Far East Prisoners of War) are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mrs Carol Cooper, founder and former Chair of the charity. Her funeral will be held on Wednesday 10 December at 2.00 p.m. at Gorleston Crematorium, Oriel Avenue, Gorleston-on-Sea Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR31 7JJ.
Carol, who died on 10th November 2025 at her care home in Norfolk, worked tirelessly to establish and build a permanent memorial to those who had served in the far east theatre of the Second World war, and who endured such unimaginable suffering. Her own father died during the conflict and a remarkable series of events led Mrs Cooper to discover a diary written by him, during every day of his captivity. The diary inspired her in her mission to complete the project.
Carol had retired from her work for the charity in 2019 and handed over the reins to a team of trustees, officers and over a thousand members, established during her time as Chair. Her relentless and often stubborn enthusiasm to raise both the funds and the organisational structure to create the FEPOW Memorial Building and Grove at the National Memorial Arboretum, was inspirational. Countless families who are proud to include a FEPOW in their ancestry, plus many who don’t, are deeply grateful to her for the contribution she made to facilitating continued remembrance.
To honour her legacy, the COFEPOW quarterly newsletter will include this announcement in the January edition, with a more comprehensive tribute in the subsequent issue.
The trustees and members of COFEPOW express their sincere condolences to Carol’s family at this very sad time.
