Dwaine was born on August 23, 1952 in Summerland, BC. The eldest of six children, he was big brother to Diane, Donna, Nancy, Dale and Patricia. The family moved to New Westminster, BC when Dwaine was three, with the children growing up in the Prior family home.

At high-school Dwaine took delight in playing the trumpet and participating, especially singing, in drama productions. In the early 1970’s he attended Aldersgate College in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Known for his rich baritone voice, he enjoyed participating in choirs, chorales, and touring across Canada with the Royal Heirs. He served briefly at churches in both Saskatchewan and Ontario. Dwaine courageously endured multiple cancer surgeries and treatments over the years. Returning to Aldersgate in 1981, he graduated and went on to study at Western Evangelical Seminary (Portland, Oregon), graduating in 1984 with his M.Div. degree.

Dwaine pastored the Summerland Free Methodist Church until the late-1990’s after which he took on self-employment as a courier. Later, he trained to do security work, often assisting during fires in the Okanagan. After retirement he moved to New Westminster where he enjoyed tending a small garden in a retirement complex and living closer to his siblings.

Dwaine valued meaningful conversations around faith and spirituality. He also loved reading for pleasure and kept up with an eclectic range of sci-fi writers. Dwaine’s family is grateful for the wholeness he now enjoys, cancer free, with the faithful who have gone before him.

Preceded in death by his parents Wes and Janet Prior, and sisters Diane and Donna - he is survived by siblings Nancy, Dale and Patricia and their families, and the families of Diane and Donna, his ex-wife and adopted children. He will be dearly missed.

A private family gathering will be held this spring.

Donations may be made to the BC Cancer Foundation in Dwaine’s memory.