Many cards and letters sent to David Cohen’s family say that “he was Salcombe” as news of his recent death rocks the town.

Born in Israel on March 23, 1945, while his father was in the British Army, David came back to the UK when he was two, where he grew up and attended Kings College, Wimbledon. He died at the age of 72 on Saturday, July 15.

After being advised to “get a proper job” as a youngster, David veered away from his artistic side for many years, working in town planning, before circling back round to becoming an author, and more recently, writing a play following on from his latest novel The Fields of Thyme.

David and his wife Janet moved to Salcombe 42 years ago, making the move permanent in 1994.

The couple threw themselves into Salcombe life, with David becoming involved in the organisation of Salcombe Music Festival, becoming chairman for many years, as well as a Salcombe Town Councillor, the chairman of the Kingsbridge, Malborough and Hope Cove Conservatives, a school governor for Salcombe Primary School, and part of the Salcombe Swimming Pool committee, organising the Party in the Pool, an exam invigilator for KCC as well as being a keen supporter of Janet’s work with the local Cancer Research fundraising committee.

David started the HOW, Hands Off Whitestrand, campaign when there was a proposal to build a new, large, harbour office on Whitestrand car park in 2003. The campaign was successful and the plans were shelved.

Janet explained that music was a large part of David’s life, and he had written, composed and sung a song for her 50th birthday, which was recorded by Harry Fulcher.

He was also in the process of writing ‘The Broad Steps’, a screenplay about the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya, set in Devon, London and then Kenya in the 1930s and 1950s, and ‘The Philosopher and the Eleventh Commandment’.

Another of David’s creative projects was the autobiography of Ian Gillan, lead singer of Deep Purple, who David met through Ian’s accountant around 40 years ago, and they became close friends. Together they wrote ‘Ian Gillan - the autobiography of Deep Purple’s singer’, which was originally released in 1998 and re-released last year.

David managed to persuade Ian to take part in a question and answer session at Kingsbridge Community College in 2014 as part of Operation Lawnmower with Seat - fundraising efforts to provide Malborough Youth Football Club with a new lawnmower. The event raised £1,190.

Throughout his life, David also managed two shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, helped Amazon River adventurer Alan Holman get his record-breaking kayak journey published and created a successful writing workshop for HM Prison Service and lifer groups.

Janet said her husband would “do anyone a favour but would never ask for one” and was “ageless” - “he could mix with students through to people his own age and was very active with KM United Under 11s.

“He was a great family man who was devoted to his grandchildren, and would do anything for anyone.”

Janet, who has been married to David for 48 years, said she will remember him for his “total selflessness, self deprecation and highly principled outlook”.

Rob Wheeler, who worked with David on many Salcombe projects and as a town councillor, described him as a “very dear friend”, who had a “deep sense of fairness, openness and common sense” and “always put other people before himself”.

He said: “We met when David and Janet first moved down and the first thing I remember him being involved with was Salcombe Music Festival.

“He helped organise the music on the main stage and then later took control of organising the classical recitals jazz and choirs that performed in the church.

“His first book was ‘Buskers: A History of Street Entertainment’, which he wrote with Ben Greenwood, combining his planning background with his interest in music.

“During the time when the Harbour Authority wanted to build a big new harbour office, he helped drive a public revolution with the Hand’s Off Whitestrand campaign, which was named very tongue-in-cheek but was about holding South Hams District Council’s feet to the fire and the plans were shelved.”

Talking about their time together on the town council, Rob said they “joined as town councillors around four years ago”, where David “applied his common sense and fairness”.

“He wasn’t afraid to cross swords though”, Rob said, “if he thought something was wrong, he would always speak up. I remember him saying ‘people should never mistake common decency as a sign of weakness’.

“He was an all-round decent chap, very thoughtful and very funny, he never had his own agenda. It isn’t fair that he is gone.”

Dr Sarah Wollaston MP, who knew David well, said: “David gave so much to the community and filled every room with his enthusiasm, generosity and good humour. He was approachable, welcoming and always ready to roll up his sleeves and get things done. He will be very sadly missed.”

Sandy Gilbert added: “David Cohen was a dear friend of mine. He was the chairman of Kingsbridge, Malborough and Hope Cove Conservatives. We worked together for several years on the committee of our local branch. David was a lively antidote to any ‘stuffed shirt’ perceptions of the role.

“He embraced the quirky, the off beat; dreaming up and supporting ideas for events that were outside of the box. On a personal level he was kind to a fault, always giving his time to accommodate the needs of others.

“David was modest and self effacing so that whilst he was here, he was just, well, here, now he is gone there is a huge gap, a hole, a vacuum in our community. His irreverent and irrepressible humour belied a deep thinker, a man who valued others at the sacrifice of self.

“David you are missed.”

David died on July 15, suddenly, after a stroke. He leaves behind his wife Janet, his eldest daughter Nicola, her husband Matt and two children Benjamin and Abigail; his youngest daughter Lucy - who lives in Kingsbridge and her three children Cameron, Saskia and Matilda, as well as his brother Ralph, sister-in-law Rosemary and nieces and nephews in Surrey.

A celebration of David’s life will take place at Holy Trinity Church, Salcombe, on Friday, September 1, from 2pm, with a gathering afterwards at Cliff House.