A Taunton school is in shock this week following the sudden death of a popular assistant head teacher.

Delia de Val, 59, who had worked at Bishop Fox's Community School for 15 years, was found dead at her home last Friday morning.

Colleagues raised the alarm after visiting her home when she did not arrive for work.

Stunned staff and pupils at the school were informed of the tragedy that day.

Head teacher Paul Scutt told the County Gazette: "Delia was a wonderful colleague and friend who worked tirelessly.

"She assumed the post of assistant head teacher six years ago and was responsible for student welfare and support.

"Delia left her positive mark on a great many young people in our community and she will be greatly missed by us all."

Mrs de Val met her husband, Kevin, in a Belfast hospital in 1971 while she was re-covering from burns and a broken heel after her house was targeted during sectarian violence.

Lieut-Col de Val was then a young officer in 45 Commando, Royal Marines, in charge of protecting patients at the hospital. The couple married in 1973, and Mrs de Val spent four years teaching in Oman as her husband's work took him across the world.

They moved to Taunton in 1984 when her husband, then a Captain in the Royal Ma-rines, took up the post of Company Com-mander at Norton Manor Camp.

Mrs de Val spent two years teaching at both Uffculme School and Court Fields in Wellington before joining Bishop Fox's.

Lieut-Col de Val said: "Delia was a very special person – a Royal Marine’s wife, a loving mother who often had to cope with bringing up a young family by herself during long periods of separation, a dedicated teacher who had taught many different na-tionalities all over the world.

"Her sudden and tragic death will leave a big hole in the life of our family and in the lives of all those that knew her."

She leaves two sons, Declan and Julian, and a grandson Edward.

Mrs de Val's funeral will take place at St George's Roman Catholic Church in Taun-ton next Wednesday when Bishop Fox's will be closed as a mark of respect.

The family have asked for any donations to be made to the Catholic Fund for Over-seas Development.

The results of a post-mortem on Monday are still awaited. A police spokesman confirmed they were not treating the death as suspicious.

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