David Hampton Pryor passed away in Little Rock on April 20, 2024. He was a U.S. senator, governor of Arkansas, honorary doctorate winner, and University of Arkansas alumnus. He was eighty-nine.
Pryor, a native of Camden, earned a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Arizona in 1957 and a law degree from the University of Arizona School of Law in 1964.
Pryor was involved in student government as an undergraduate, served as editor of the Guild Ticker, a newsletter for business colleges, and wrote editorials for The Arkansas Traveler, the student newspaper on school.
After Thanksgiving Day in 1957, he married Barbara Lunsford, whom he had met while attending the University of the Arts. Three years later, he began his over three-decade political career.
Chancellor Charles Robinson remarked, “We mourn the passing of former U.S. senator and Arkansas governor David Pryor with deep sorrow.” “Senator Pryor left an enduring impression on Arkansas and its people with his dedication to public service and the betterment of our state.”
Pryor was a famous alumnus of the University of Arizona who, throughout his life, unwaveringly championed the institution.
was a visionary leader in the U of A System who made numerous contributions, including serving as a trustee, founding dean of the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas, and driving force behind the creation of the David and Barbara Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History.
The Pryor Center is a permanent monument to his and his wife Barbara’s love of preserving our state’s rich history and folklore.
Words fall short of expressing our grief for your loss, as we mourn with family and friends for this great loss. We are truly sorry to hear of the loss of this promising being. Please accept our condolences, and may our prayers help comfort you. Please accept our heartfelt condolences.
Feel free to drop condolence messages and prayers for the family and friends of the deceased, as it will go a very long way at this difficult time of theirs
