Hay River (July 10/06) - Capt. Don Tetrault, a well-known resident of Hay River died June 29 from lung cancer at the age of 70.

The captain was well-known up and down the Mackenzie River for his work on various vessels over the years.

Don Tetrault of Hay River - pictured in the 1970s while captaining The Norweta - died June 29. - Photo courtesy of the Tetrault family

He was the first captain of Norweta for four years, beginning in 1970.

The tourist vessel was operated by Arctic Cruise Lines, a company owned by Tetrault, his wife and several other investors.

"Dad had The Norweta built here in Hay River," notes his son Thomas.

Tetrault was also the founding president of the Hay River Chamber of Commerce in 1973. "It was his idea," says his wife, Irene.

Her late husband also served on Hay River town council in the 1970s.

Born in Montreal, Tetrault first went to sea in 1951 when he was just 15, working as a deckhand on a St. Lawrence Seaway tugboat.

In the early 1950s, he worked for the merchant marine carrying supplies to forces fighting the communists in the Korean War. Most of his career at sea was on tugboats.

"Those were his favourites," says his wife.

In 1963, Tetrault came to Hay River to work on tugboats with the Yellowknife Transportation Company, beginning as first mate and quickly becoming captain.

In the late 1960s, he worked with the Canadian Coast Guard in Hay River as head of its marine operations department.

Then, he moved on to The Norweta.The vessel was eventually converted to a survey ship to work for oil companies on the Arctic coast and the company's name was changed to Arctic Offshore.

After a decline in energy exploration in 1986, Tetrault moved to Nova Scotia with a tug but his company eventually went into receivership.

Returning to Hay River in 1993, he captained ferries in Fort Simpson and later Arctic Red River up to 2004.

His final full-time job on the water was last year operating a crew boat and tug for Imperial Oil in Norman Wells.

"He was gone every year on the water somewhere," says his wife, adding her husband loved the work and only stopped when his health failed. "He didn't want to give it up."

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday.