‘An example to us all’: community mourns 'kind and popular' David Prior, 48

A popular and caring support worker who died aged 48 will be greatly missed by scores of people across Maidenhead and beyond, his family have said.

David Prior touched the hearts of all who met him. He was a ‘kind, spiritual, compassionate’ soul who cared deeply for people and animals alike.

‘Very much a Maidenhead boy,’ David was a former Furze Platt pupil who went onto work in engineering locally.

Yet David gave up this career after 17 years to pursue his ‘true calling’: a job as a support worker for people with special needs, which he did for another 15 years.

The switch was a ‘huge’ drop in salary for him; hardworking David had to hold down two jobs to make ends meet. But it was worth it for him, said his mother, Linda.

“It was a job he loved and he was very good at it. Being a carer was his real calling,” she said.

David had also been studying to become a counsellor, making use of his skills as a ‘great listener.’ He made it two out of three years of his course before falling ill.

“The sad thing was that everything was going right for him,” said Linda.

“He had two really good jobs, he was doing his university course, he got a flat with his girlfriend Nicoletta and they were very happy.”

David’s death marks a double blow for his family – they also lost his father about four months ago.

During his dad’s four-year illness, David took up the mantel of looking after his mother, making sure Linda got some respite in the form of holidays abroad.

The pair had some ‘lovely adventures’ across Europe – and during these trips David made a strong impression on people he met, just as he did everywhere.

“In Paris, the guy letting out his flat to us liked David so much that he kept in touch with him for years afterwards,” said Linda. “That’s the sort of person David was.”

He was friends with people all over the country, thanks to his ability to stay connected with the many people he met throughout his life, stretching back to his school days.

A ‘very popular man’ socially, David also held the high opinion of his employees and colleagues, who kept in touch with him all through his illness and ‘have been wonderful’ to his family.

David passed away after 14 months of fighting colorectal cancer.

“He showed absolute bravery and fought right to the end,” said Linda. “He didn’t want to leave us.”

Towards the end of his life, David was cared for at the Florence Nightingale Hospice in Stoke Mandeville, which took ‘superb’ care of him and his family.

His funeral is now set to take place at Easthampstead Park Crematorium in Bracknell on August 19 at 12.30pm. So far, about 200 people are expected to attend.

Linda says that she and David’s brother Darren have been touched by the messages coming from so many people.

“They’re all very upset at his parting,” she said. “Nobody can quite believe it’s happened.”

“He was one of those people that had an impact on whoever he met. Once they met him, that was it. It was a lifelong friend.

“For David to have kept in touch with as many people as he did in his short life, it’s a wonderful legacy.

“David was the sort of person that is an example to us all – how we should live our lives, especially in these times of trouble.”

Those wishing to make a donation in David’s memory can do so at fnhospice.org.uk/gift