Tributes have been paid to a popular family doctor whose research earned her worldwide recognition.

Dr Jean Coope, who was a family GP in Bollington for 30 years and a leading expert on hormone treatment therapy for menopausal women, died at Mount Hall Care Home in Bollington aged 85 on July 13.

The grandmother-of-11 was also the widow of Dr John Coope, who was instrumental in setting up the town’s biennial musical and arts festival as well as Bollington arts centre.

Her son Gerald, who is also a Bollington GP, said: “She was very determined, she had strong beliefs – especially professionally – she wouldn’t take any prisoners and she wouldn’t be scared to take on these professors.

“She had a huge amount of grit and liked getting things done.

“I remember when we were children the phone never stopped ringing in the two months running up to the festival. But I think mum was involved because she loved dad ,not because she loved the music.

“She was a scientist, Marie Curie was her hero.

“My dad did so much but she kept the whole show going behind the scenes.”

Dr Coope moved to Bollington when she married John in 1953 and joined the family practice at Waterhouse, now Bollington Medical Centre.

They have six children, Gerald, Miriam, Veronica, Sebastian, Caroline, and Justin, who sadly died shortly before Christmas.

She was awarded a scholarship to study medicine at Manchester University where she earned a gold medal, the award given to the faculty’s best student, and was also awarded a Doctorate in Medicine (DM).

She has written numerous books and articles on the HRT,  using the royalties and lecture fees to set up a teaching clinic to show women how to keep healthy in later life.

In 1994 she became a member of the World Health Organization Committee on Research on the Menopause, meeting in Geneva.

She was editor of the Journal of the British Menopause Society from 1994 to 1997 and a founder member of its council.

She also worked locally as a member of the Osteoporosis Prevention Group at Macclesfield Hospital and at the East Cheshire Branch of Age Concern.

Gerald added: “She was incredible.

“At home her main concerns were the practice and the children, but she learnt to play the cello in later life which she really enjoyed. Her grandchidlren and her two great-grandchildren brought her lots of joy.”