Celebrated Sesame Street illustrator and long-term Bermuda visitor Tom Cooke has died at the age of 78.

Mr Cooke first visited Bermuda in 1958 with his wife Onalee on their honeymoon, and the couple fell in love with the Island, returning almost every winter.

Such was Mr Cooke’s love affair with the Island, that his family and friends plan to scatter his ashes at Grape Bay.

The illustrator said that his time in Bermuda had inspired some of his art. His book Grover’s Adventures under the Sea reflected his son’s enjoyment of scuba diving at Grape Bay, while another book about a pet store was inspired by birds found in a good friend’s shop on the Island.

And The Royal Gazette’s Bermuda Calendar was used as kite paper for an illustration in the book, Grover, Grover, Come On Over.

During one visit he stopped by St David’s Primary School to speak with students, and in 2006 he took part in Masterwork Foundation’s Art for All programme, teaching children the basics of drawing cartoon characters.

At that time, he told The Royal Gazette: “I love to interact with children because they are so appreciative and curious.”

Friend and fellow artist Peter Woolcock yesterday called Mr Cooke a great guy and a kindred spirit.

“We met through our wives doing Meals On Wheels together and comparing notes as to what their husbands did for a living, and we were kindred spirits ever since,” Mr Woolcock said.

“During his trips to Europe with his devoted Onalee, we’d get beautiful, detailed pen and ink sketches of various places, always with a touch of humour.

“He was a mean pianist. I have his CD TC Plays Ragtime, where his rendition of Joplin’s The Entertainer is the equal of any professional.

“He was a keen member of ‘The Helmsmen’, a men’s glee club, and I am a proud owner of one of their CDs.

“His stroke paralysed his left side, allowing him to continue drawing but with a new style, with bright colour and a charming Graham Foster-ish approach to perspective. The card production continued to the end.

“Tom loved to laugh, and I can still hear his impetuous bursts of delight at some craziness.”

Masterworks founder and creative director Tom Butterfield said Mr Cooke was a positive guy and a pleasure to work with.

“Once he was introduced to us, it was quite obvious that he was someone we wanted to work with,” Mr Butterfield said.

“We do have one of his works in our collection, which is terrific.”

He is survived by his wife, sons Scott and Todd, and grandchildren Cameron, Christopher, Kaitlyn and Kelsey.