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KINNGAIT/CAPE DORSET
Joe Taukie, a man described as a role model and mentor with a great commitment to the Inuit language, died on Jan. 13 following a two-year battle with cancer.

Joe Kallarjuk Taukie died in Cape Dorset on Jan. 13 at the age of 54. - photo courtesy of Becky Taukie

He died at age 54 in Cape Dorset, one day shy of his retirement as teacher.

He leaves his wife, Becky Taukie, six children and 12 grandchildren. His funeral was scheduled for last week.

Becky said the family will remember Joe for "his leadership in the community and his love of children and the teaching of the Inuit language."

Joe, born and raised in Cape Dorset, was a wonderful father and role model, said Becky, adding she will miss his laughter and sense of humour.

"He loved to go hunting for the family. That was his main outdoor activity," she said.

Joe will also be remembered for his 32 years as a teacher. He started his teaching career in the late 1970s as a classroom assistant, a position he had applied for after showing interest in it, said Becky. He then studied to obtain his teaching certificate in 1986. Joe worked as a teacher, vice-principal and principal, always at the elementary level, for three decades. He was to retire on Jan. 14.

Peter Pitseolak School principal Mike Soares said Joe was a great mentor to him when he arrived in Cape Dorset.

"Learning the school database without Joe, I would have been lost," he said. "He made things easy for me and I certainly felt welcome to Cape Dorset to have such a great mentor as Joe to take me under his wing to learn how to manage the school records."

He said Joe's children volunteer and are very active in the community.

"His children are his greatest testament to what a great guy he was," said Soares.

Joe also worked more than 10 years as councillor - some as deputy mayor - at the hamlet before resigning in 2010 for health reasons.

Art Stewart, a former senior administrative officer with the hamlet, said he will miss Joe's presence in the community and his friendship.

"I found him very easy to work with and he always said something to contribute to any discussion the council was engaged in," he said. "He was very helpful. He was very knowledgeable. He knew the community very well. He was very willing to share that knowledge with anybody."

Stewart was the hamlet's SAO until 2008 when he left the post to work for the territorial government.

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