Daniel Frederick Harvey, 57, died in a single vehicle traffic accident on Highway 3 between Rae-Edzo and Fort Providence, NWT.

Harvey and a female passenger were going around a turn when their vehicle hit an icy patch, went over an embankment and rolled several times. He died from massive head injuries.

Harvey was wearing a seat-belt at the time of the accident, RCMP said.

Though Harvey told News/North in a recent interview that he sometimes missed the South, there was something about Kugluktuk that he just couldn't leave behind.

He loved the community and called it home for more than 25 years.

During his tenure there, Harvey served as a coroner and sat as chair of the community's district education authority.

He was also the father of Tommy Harvey, a soldier who recently served in Afghanistan fighting the war against terror.

A few words from community members who knew him:

Keith Parker, Principal of Kugluktuk high school:

"I think Dan's great concern was to stress to everybody the importance of education. Dan was in and out of the school a lot. He knew many of the students. It was neat to see them interact. The students were always going up to him and greeting him."

Reverend Malcolm Palmer, St. Andrew's Church:

"He helped build the church. He helped build the mission house. I think he even built some roads in the community. He's done lots to try and improve the community. It was just his nature.

He'd go out on the land sometimes and he'd hunt caribou. He'd give it to the people he knew didn't have any.

He wouldn't keep any for himself.

"He was a warm-hearted, generous man. When we had a bereavement in the community, he'd come knocking. He was the coroner, you know. Sometimes it was at 3 a.m. and he'd say we've got to go tell somebody. He'd let me say what I had to say to the family. Then he talked to them. He had a charm about him I would envy."

Stanley Anablak, Mayor of Kugluktuk:

"I am 44 now and he must have been here since I was 10-years-old. I helped him build his first house here. I also helped him build a new unit over the last two years.

He just moved in last spring. Everybody here was shocked. He contributed a lot to the community. He's been on the school board, the hamlet, part of the Co-op, and a coroner. He will be sadly missed.

Margaret Latimer, Nurse at the Health Centre in Kugluktuk:

"There is a profound sense of loss. It's just disbelief and loss. He was a friend to me, to the health centre, to the school and to the community. He always knew when people needed something. If there was a crisis going on at the health centre, and we were busy all through lunch period, he'd stop by and bring us some soup. I've always thought Dan to be a very strong man. He loved his family. He cared about the community."

Donald Havioyak, MLA for Kugluktuk:

"I heard about it when I was in Iqaluit a few days ago for the legislative assembly. I received a phone call at about 1:30 a.m. My wife told me 'Donald, you have to call the mayor.' She said something happened to Dan Harvey. It was the mayor who told me the news. The community is trying to stick together. He was our community leader and a long time resident of Kugluktuk. He's done a lot for our community, especially for our children."