2006 gold-medallist Gary Cormack was also a two-time Canadian champ

A member of the first Winter Paralympics wheelchair curling gold-medal team has passed away.

Gary Cormack, who died on Nov. 4 at Surrey (B.C.) Memorial Hospital at the age of 74, was a member of the Canadian team that played in the first wheelchair curling competition at the 2006 Winter Paralympics in Torino, Italy.

With teammates skip Chris Daw, vice-skip Gerry Austgarden, lead Sonja Gaudet, alternate Karen Blachford and coach Joe Rea, Cormack claimed gold after Canada defeated Great Britain in the final.

Cormack also won a pair of Canadian wheelchair curling championships representing British Columbia — in 2006 with the same lineup that won Paralympic gold and in 2010, skipping a team that included Rich Green, Vince Miele, Corinne Jensen and alternate Samantha Siu.

“He was a humble man, always a calming influence when times were stressful on the ice,” said Daw. “And when the pressure was at its highest, you could always count on Gary to either make the shot when we needed it most, or say the words that helped us settle down and focus on the task at hand. Gary was the backbone of the success of that lineup. If he wasn’t there, we wouldn’t have had the success we did.”

“Gary was a valued member of Team Canada and was such a capable performer when it mattered the most,” added longtime Curling Canada High Performance Director Gerry Peckham. “He was a quiet, competent shot maker and a great teammate.”