Brian Cooper was famous in his family for driving long distances for a good cause.
He and wife Nancy would turn up in his campervan anywhere in the North Island to support family members playing cricket, hockey, riding horses, sailing or for any other reason - more often than not completely
unannounced.
His lifelong love of cricket played comfortable second fiddle to spending time with his family. He happily played reserve grade for Onerahi-Central - the club that made him a life member in the 1990s - because he liked the low-key nature of the game and it gave him more time with his family.
When his children started playing cricket his devotion to the sport grew. He will always be remembered at Northland Cricket for driving to Gisborne to have a look at new covers there, so he could make an even better version for Whangarei's original Cobham Oval - at his own expense.
Born in Waiuku in 1933, Brian grew up on the family farm in Broadwood. He finished his school years at Whangarei Boys High School before leaving school to work on his uncle's farm.
He moved back to Whangarei to become an engineer for Tapper Engineering and later Busck Concrete, before becoming a watersider, so he could travel to help his dad and brother on the family farm at the weekends.
He married Nancy Burke in 1955 and became known as "Tiger", a term particularly well used by his grandchildren. He preferred the company of family and close friends to official cricket functions.
Brian died at Whangarei Hospital on Wednesday after a short illness and is survived by Nancy, three children, and seven grandchildren.
His funeral will be held at Morris and Morris in Whangarei at 11am on Monday.
