A WOMAN believed to be the oldest in Yorkshire has died in Huddersfield.
Mrs Maude Cooper was 108 in January and has died at Bradley Court.
She had lived through five monarchs and three coalition governments.
But her main achievement in life was to set up Huddersfield’s Mencap group, for people with a learning disability.
Her own daughter Jean is 78 and lives in a home.
Maude’s niece, Janet Haworth, said: “She had been going downhill over the last few weeks but when she celebrated her birthday in January she was quite well.
“She certainly knew why people had come to celebrate with her.
“We believe she was not only the oldest person in Huddersfield but also in Yorkshire.”
Born in Paddock on January 1, 1905, during the reign of King Edward VII, Maude grew up in Crosland Moor.
She worked as a weaver in the town, and married Harold Cooper at St Thomas’ Church, on Manchester Road, in 1932.
In 1935, the couple welcomed their daughter Jean, who suffered from severe learning difficulties.
Maude struggled to find adequate support for her daughter and would later start the Huddersfield Mencap.
Mrs Haworth said: “Her whole life has been dedicated to Jean and to Mencap.
“She has said she won’t go anywhere until she knows Jean is okay.
“She has survived this long for Jean.
“The way she cared for her is really amazing, considering she continued to look after her until she was 97.”
Maude continued to be very independent and she went to shop in the town by herself until she was about 102.
