TTHEK'EHDELI/JEAN MARIE RIVER
The sudden death of a well-respected and liked man is being felt deeply in Jean Marie River and by his family and friends.

Arnold Gargan had worked as both the economic development officer and foreman for Jean Marie River. He was also the community's volunteer fire chief. Gargan died suddenly in the community April 3 at the age of 48. - photo courtesy of Connie Villeneuve

Arnold Gargan died at the age of 48 in Jean Marie River April 3. More than 200 people attended his funeral that was held outdoors by his house in the community April 11.

"His heart was always in Jean Marie River," said Bernice Gargan, one of his sisters.

Gargan had filled a number of roles in the community. After he finished the recreation program in Inuvik in the early 1990s, he returned to Jean Marie River to work in that field.

Gargan later became the community's economic development officer and foreman. He was also their long-standing volunteer fire chief.

In 2007 Gargan received the Fire Service Merit Award. At the time he'd already been the volunteer fire chief for 12 years.

"They said it was a big loss for the community," Bernice said.

Gargan was the youngest of eight siblings born to Charles and Celine Gargan. The couple lived most of their married life in Jean Marie River, but would bring their family to Fort Simpson in the summer where Charles worked as a carpenter, Bernice said.

Gargan's personality was just like his dad's.

"Very, very happy all the time, never said a mean thing to anybody," she said.

"When he's going to do something, he gets really excited about it, like a trip or just anything."

Boating on the Mackenzie River, often with Connie Villeneuve, his partner of 11 years, was one of the things Gargan liked to do best.

He bought a boat in the fall of 2012 and used it all last summer. He was already talking about where he wanted to go on his first boat trip this summer, said Joyce Villeneuve.

Gargan was four when his dad died in 1970 and 12 when his mom died eight years later. Around 1980 Joyce, who knew the family, invited Gargan to live with her.

Gargan stayed with Joyce and her family until about 1985 when he went to Yellowknife for high school. He called her Mom.

In addition to boating, Gargan always looked forward to seeing the first eagle of the spring. He'd already seen one this year. Every spring when he had his first sighting, he would excitedly phone Joyce.

"That's the way he was," she said.

Joyce and her partner Jonas Ekenale were Gargan's frequent boat trip partners. He liked to stop for cookouts and was always joking around, she said.

"Right from the stomach he would bellow out laughing," Joyce said.

Gargan liked to travel and had friends in a lot of communities in the NWT and farther afield, like Whitehorse, and also had a sister in Edmonton.

"Everybody looked forward to him coming," she said.

Many people, even if they weren't related, called him uncle.

In addition to his seven siblings, Gargan is also survived by Joyce's three sons and his partner Connie.

"I believe they were soul mates those two," Bernice said.

Gargan always had a picture of Connie in his wallet. With no prior warning, his death has been a big shock, she said.

"He was just a really, really good man," said Bernice, and you couldn't ask for a better brother.

Gargan was buried beside his mother in Jean Marie River following the service.

The NWT Office of the Coroner, assisted by the RCMP, is investigating the cause of Gargan's death.