My father, David Symons, who has died aged 84, was a tireless advocate on behalf of people with learning difficulties in Exeter. His determination to give a voice to and support some of the least able in society touched the lives of a great many people and grew out of his personal experience.
David married Ruth in 1954 and two years later their son John (my older brother) was born with Down's syndrome, at a time when sympathy was plentiful but provision and understanding of special needs was not. My father, a deeply humane and compassionate man, sized up the problem and was the driving force behind the establishment in 1976 of the Horizon Club– a charity that offers a place for people with special needs and their families to meet and support one another and gain respite through holiday activities. The club still thrives today, with more than 100 members and volunteers.
A child of a naval family, David – known as Buddy – was born in Plymouth, Devon, and attended 13 different schools before he joined the Fleet Air Arm on the day after his 17th birthday in 1944. He saw service on the aircraft carriers Illustrious and Victorious, as well as many stations at home.
In 1968, after leaving the navy, he embarked on a 30-year career teaching maths, physics and engineering at Exeter College. My father was a quiet man of deeply held passions, including classical music, cooking and the outdoors. Living on the edge of Dartmoor, with many walks among the tors and high moors – often with Horizon Club members – brought him great joy and offered the chance to pursue his interest in industrial archaeology.
In 1993, David's younger brother, Colin, a Benedictine monk and the first superior of the Kristo Buase monastery, in Techiman, Ghana, died from malaria. With his brother Robin, David made the painful trip to Ghana for the funeral. He later established a school in his brother's name.
David was made an MBE in the mid-90s. He is survived by Ruth, myself and three grandchildren – Alexandra, Agatha and Alfie. John died in 2009.