Dame Jilly Cooper has died following a fall, her publisher has announced.
Author Dame Jilly, who lived in Bisley, died on Sunday at the age of 88. She was famous for her books such as Rivals which has recently been adapted for television.
Her children Felix and Emily said: “Her unexpected death has come as a complete shock.”
They hailed their mother as “a shining light in our lives”.
“Her love for all of her family and friends knew no bounds. We are so proud of everything she achieved in her life and can’t begin to imagine life without her infectious smile and laughter all around us.”
Dame Jilly began her career as a journalist for The Middlesex Independent from 1957-59, subsequently working as a copywriter, account executive and receptionist. Her big break came in 1969 when the editor of The Sunday Times Magazine, Godfrey Smith, asked her to write a feature about her experiences. This led to a column in which she wrote about sex, marriage and housework which ran until 1982.
Her first book, How to Stay Married, was published in 1969, followed by How to Survive from Nine to Five the following year.
The Rutshire Chronicles, her best-known work, featuring books such as Riders, published in 1985, and later Rivals and Polo, which became an international bestsellers.
Dame Jilly married Leo Cooper in 1961 and moved from London to Bisley in 1982 and was well known in the community.
