Former city councillor Duke Connelly died last Thursday, a little over a month before his 90th birthday.

Connelly was known as a councillor who spoke his mind, even if what he said didn’t sit well with others on council.

He was known for being something like a bull dog, though he was deeply committed to the business of managing city affairs.

He debated the issues and was not afraid to defend his position on matters, Coun. Dan Boyd said in an interview this morning.

Boyd served one term with Connelly, from 1997 to 2000.

“I think he represented what people like to see, and one of the things he did was challenge the establishment,” Boyd said. “Often Duke would challenge the idea.”

Connelly had been a resident at Copper Ridge Place for several years when he passed away.

He served in the Canadian military for 28 years and retired from the Canadian Airborne Regiment in 1974 at the rank of sergeant-major.

That year, Connelly moved his family from Ontario to Whitehorse, and began working for the Yukon government in various roles but retired from the government in 1985.

But Connelly always remained active, and often volunteered his service and knowledge to assist at the Whitehorse Cadet Camp.

Working with youth was a favourite pastime of his, and he coached many sports but was known more for his involvement with hockey.

Boyd remembered one outing specifically when Connelly took his charges to the paint ball field. He battled right alongside the teenagers.

“Those youth thought the world of him just because he would get down and play in the mud with them and he had no problem doing it,” Boyd said.

The councillor said Connelly had no problem speaking his mind. On the flip side, said Boyd, he was a person who cared about others.

“He was always somebody who would stop and help somebody,” he said.

Boyd said if you didn’t see eye to eye with Connelly, he would stop and help if the person needed help. If a complete stranger had a flat tire on the side of the road, Connelly would stop and help, Boyd said.

“If he saw somebody needing some help, he would always stop and help them, no questions asked, no expectations, he would just stop and help.”

Connelly first served as councillor from 1991 to 1994 but lost his bid for re-election in 1994. He was elected again in 1997 and to a third term in 2000.

Former city councillor Dave Stockdale, the longest serving councillor on record, served all three terms with Connelly.

As the 79-year-old Stockdale put it this morning, he had a “grudging admiration” for his former colleague.

When Connelly lost in the 1994 election, he wrote Stockdale a nice letter, Stockdale recalled.

“He was a very knowledgeable councillor,” Stockdale said. “He was an able member of council with all the knowledge he had.”

Connelly brought his experience working with the Yukon government to the council table, Stockdale pointed out.

He believed in accountability, and it was Connelly who insisted that councillors returning from conferences down south write a report to explain what they had learned at the conference.

“He did speak his mind and said what he felt,” Stockdale said. “He was helpful and informed the community about what things were happening.”

Connelly was pre-deceased by his wife of 46 years, Arlene Connelly.

He is survived by his son, Dennis, and his family.