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‘Scintiallating and informative’ former deputy editor dies aged 86

Eileen PriceThe former deputy editor of a weekly newspaper described as a “scintillating and informative” writer has died aged 86.

Tributes have been paid to Eileen Price, left, who rose to become second in command at the Maidenhead Advertiser during a career which began at the same newspaper.

Eileen, nee Hickey, started out as a junior reporter on the Advertiser in 1949, where she met fellow reporter Geoff PRice.

The couple married in 1952 and later moved around the country as Geoff pursued his career – which included spells in Uxbridge, Stevenage, St Albans, Grimsby, Grantham, Gravesend and the West Country.

They both rejoined the staff of the Advertiser in 1978, and Geoff died two years later, but Eileen continued to work after his death and was deputy editor at the time of her retirement in the early 1990s.

After retiring she became a keen rambler, and met her partner Bill Field through the hobby.

Eileen had been diagnosed with dementia in 2011, and had lived in a nursing home for the last seven years.

Mr Field told the Advertiser: “Our meeting was a start of a loving and life-giving partnership lasting nine years until she succumbed to dementia, which lasted a further seven years. I discovered some of the feature articles she had written for the Advertiser which were well written, scintillating and informative – well worth reading even today.

“She taught me how to play Scrabble at which she beat me consistently until I began to win as her illness took hold. I think about her a lot.”

Eileen and Geoff had two sons, David and Jeremy, who live in Canada and Australia respectively.

David said: “Mum was always supportive, but also respected and encouraged our independence. That’s partly why we both felt able to leave the UK for our respective careers.”

Eileen, who died on 28 October, is also survived by her brother Edmund, sister-in-law June, and nieces Janet and Jacqueline. Her funeral will be held at Slough Crematorium at 12.30pm today.