Mr Harry Coppell

By County Press Reporter - Friday, April 18, 2008
HARRY Coppell, who died three weeks before his 87th birthday, possibly holds the record for the fastest birth announcement in the history of the County Press.
On the day his wife, Betty, gave birth to their second child, daughter, Diane, Harry was working as a linotype operator for the company. With minutes to spare before the paper was due to go to print, he set in type the details for an announcement carried in the edition which hit the streets later that day.
During his six years of Second World War army service, Liverpool-born Harry was stationed overseas with the Royal Corps of Signals, as a cipher operator, serving in various campaigns, including Greece, North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. Earlier he was stationed on the anti-aircraft batteries on the forts in the Eastern Solent.
He spent time on gun emplacements at Love Lane, Cowes, and it was during this time he met Betty. The couple married at Northwood Parish Church, in 1943, and remained on the Island. Latterly they lived at Greenway, Binstead.
Harry joined the County Press following his demob at the end of the war, when he resumed what was to become a lifelong career in print. He gained essential experience at the County Press, and was always grateful for the assistance given by the then owner, Colonel Brannon, in creating the opening with the company.
He then worked for the Portsmouth News, commuting daily from the Island for more than 30 years.
Throughout his adult life he demonstrated great determination to overcome the constraints of profound deafness. Despite this handicap, he served as father of the chapel for the NGA print union at The News and, for the latter half of his career until retirement, was work study manager.
He loved sport and played and followed football, remaining ever loyal to his ‘home’ team, Liverpool. He was an accomplished table tennis player and, later, a keen and capable golfer and bowler, both indoors and out, playing in teams with his wife, Betty. They also shared an interest in ballroom dancing.
Harry died three weeks short of his 87th birthday, following surgery at St Mary’s Hospital. He leaves Betty, daughter Diane, son, Stephen, and three grand-daughters.
His funeral service takes place today (Friday), at the IW Crematorium, at 2.15pm. His family have requested no flowers instead asking donations be made in his memory to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People’s Sound Advice IW service.
• Family announcements are at www.iwcp.co.uk/BMD.aspx
This week's announcements will be online by 5pm today (Friday)

Mr Harry Coppell

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