Iqaluit (Nov 01/04) - Always concerned with taking care of those around him, Iqaluit city councillor Goola Nakasook will be missed by everyone whose life he touched.

Goola Nakasook passed away Oct. 29. - photo courtesy of Mary Nashook

Nakasook passed away Oct. 29 after a nearly eight-month long battle against lung cancer.

Whether living in outpost camps or Nunavut's capital, the 60-year-old is described by family members as a loving and kind person.

"Not only to his family but to anyone in need. He always had time to help anyone," said Mary Nashook, Nakasook's step-daughter.

Nakasook and Mary's mother Rita spent more than 20 years together. The two would often counsel couples about the importance of healthy relationships, Mary said.

As a great hunter, he had an exceptional knowledge of the land, which he took time to pass on to the community's youth. When Inuit organizations were first formed, he was often the Iqaluit representative, Mary said.

He was only recently elected to Iqaluit's city council. A member of the mayor's corner of elders while working on issues such as emergency and protective services, he also sat on the city's trails and walkways committee.

A funeral was planned for Monday, Nov. 1 at St. Jude's Cathedral.