Nineties supermodel Georgina Cooper was laid to rest today as her husband paid tribute to the “love of my life” at a funeral attended by family and close friends.
Mourners packed Vinters Park crematorium and spilled into the memorial gardens in Bearsted, Kent, to hear eulogies paid to the star of the British pop era shortly before midday.
Her husband of less than six months, Nigel, led tributes to Cooper, who died last month aged 46, saying: “I loved you from the day I met you.” And I will never stop loving you.’
Her best friend Rachel thanked Nigel for giving Cooper “the happiest years of his life” and praised the former catwalk icon for his “devotion to his son” and for his “laughter.”
Cooper’s brothers, Shane and Paul Donnelly, read poems in honor of their “little sister,” describing her as a “princess without a tiara.”
And her older brother Paul revealed he was “overwhelmed with love” and “scared of dropping her” when he was invited to cradle his newborn baby sister when he was six.
Paul told how, despite reaching the top of the fashion world, Cooper never forgot where he came from: “a two-bedroom flat in Charlton, south-east London.”
Georgina Cooper’s husband Nigel at Vinters Park Crematorium in Bearsted, Kent, today
Georgina Cooper’s brother Shane Donnelly arrives at Vinters Park Crematorium today
Georgina Cooper (pictured in 2003) died after falling ill on October 25 in Kos, Greece.
Repeating a tribute paid to his sister after her death, he said: “Georgina was the simplest person in an industry built on facades.”
Visual tributes were also shown during the 45-minute ‘celebration’ of her life, with photographs of Georgina throughout her career as a model and her life as a devoted mother appearing on a screen set to music.
The service ended with closing music from the hit film ‘Sister Act’ featuring Whoopi Goldberg’s performance of the soul classic ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’.
Cooper died after falling ill on October 25 on the Greek island of Kos, just a few months after marrying her partner Nigel.
The couple married in May this year at the Fox and Goose pub in Bearsted, where Cooper worked as a waitress.
Flowers on the coffin outside Vinters Park Crematorium ahead of today’s funeral
Members of Georgina Cooper’s family, including her brother Paul Donnelly (right), today.
The order of service for the funeral of Georgina Cooper, who used her married name Smith
The former model had been on holiday with Nigel and was initially rushed to a local hospital before being flown to a better equipped medical facility in Heraklion, Crete, where she died after spending five days in intensive care.
A local coroner confirmed the cause of death as cirrhosis of the liver and internal bleeding following organ failure.
Following Cooper’s unexpected death, supermodels Jade Parfitt, Helena Christensen, Erin O’Connor and Jodie Kidd paid tribute to the “ray of light” whose “achievements were enormous.”
Parfitt told MailOnline: “Her friends and family are absolutely devastated, Georgina was a ray of light, a very popular model who was great fun, always laughing and mischievous in the best way.”
‘We all wanted to hang out with George backstage. “His achievements in the industry were enormous.”
Her former agent Dean Goodman added: ‘She was the original gap-toothed girl! I will miss you so much, rest in peace Georgie girl.
Georgina Cooper on her wedding day earlier this year. She died while abroad with her husband.
Georgina Cooper and her husband Nigel on their wedding day in June. She died in October.
Georgina Cooper on the Versace catwalk in 2000
Georgina Cooper at the Bluemarine Falls show in 1997
“I will never forget you and I will always love you, see you on the other side.”
He continued: ‘She had plans for the future. She had just gotten married and was looking forward to her life. Everyone is devastated. “She was a true superstar.”
Georgina rose to stardom after being discovered by a modeling agency when she was 13 and later appeared in a Bon Jovi music video two years later.
The London-born cover girl was dubbed London’s “original toothy girl,” appearing on the cover of magazines such as US Vogue and The Face.