A SECONDARY school temporarily closed its doors on Monday after a much loved teacher lost her 12-year battle with cancer.
Pupils at Plume School, Maldon, were sent home from class on Monday to allow staff to attend the funeral of Diane Moss, who died of breast cancer during the Easter break.
A teacher for almost three decades at the school on Fambridge Road, the 53-year-old had instructed thousands of pupils in food technology over the years, and this week tributes flooded in from those who knew her.
"She was a fighter and never gave up, just a real trooper," said Alison Daniels, who worked alongside Mrs Moss at the Maldon school for 13 years.
"She was always fantastic with her students, very caring and cheering them on.
"And always ready to help other members of staff. I remember how fantastic she was on my first day at the school."
The mother-of-three died on April 2 after battling the illness for more than a decade.
In a statement to parents, head teacher David Stephenson said: "It is with great sadness that the school learnt of the death of Mrs Diane Moss during the spring break.
"Mrs Moss had been employed at Plume School as a teacher of food technology for 27 years, and during the past 11 years had periods of recurring illness.
"The governing body and head teacher therefore made the decision to close the school at 12.15pm on Monday as a mark of respect to Mrs Moss and to allow staff to attend her funeral."
Family, friends and colleagues gathered in St John the Baptist Church, Danbury, on Monday to remember the teacher, who had spent her entire career at Plume School, while members of the school choir sang hymns in her memory.
Words posted on a tribute page to Mrs Moss describe her as having "a great sense of humour" and being "completely dedicated to her family". Other tributes said she was "kind, thoughtful, patient and considerate to new staff and colleagues" and "always bright and cheerful".
"She was the first port of call in a crisis for so many of her students and she'll be very missed," added Alison.
