The World Curling Federation (WCF) is mourning the death of 95-year-old George Clifton Thompson, known as Clif, who passed away June 3, 2008 in Barrie, Ontario, Canada.

Thompson served as World Curling Federation president from 1982 to 1985, when the organization was known as the International Curling Federation. He earlier served as Canadian Curling Association president in 1979, and was eventually inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame.

Born in Brandon, Manitoba in 1913, Thompson worked at the Spruce Falls Power and Paper Company in Kapuskasing, Ontario until 1978.

Thompson was on the forefront of curling’s attempt to rejoin the Olympic family when me met IOC president, Juan Antonio Samaranch, in December 1984 in Lausanne, Switzerland. Curling eventually became a demonstration sport at the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Winter Games and returned to Olympic medal status with the 1998 Games in Nagano, Japan.

In 1980 Thompson initiated a senior curling league in Stroud, Ontario. The league commenced with 14 curlers and has grown to nearly 100 members. Thompson continued to play an active role in the league,  promoting all the aspects of curling – skills, rules, etiquette and camaraderie – and hosted clinics.

The Stroud Curling Club honoured Thompson by renaming the Clif Thompson Senior Curling League and providing members with a special crest.

“Clif came to the Brier (Canadian men’s championship) in Hamilton in 2007,” said Warren Hansen of the Canadian Curling Association.

“I hadn’t seen him in years. He was sharp, and we had a long conversation. He was very interested in recent developments in the sport.”

Clif Thompson was predeceased by his wife Helen in August of 2006. He is survived by his children Nancy, Ross and Rick, their spouses, and his grandchildren.