OBIT: All-star lineman Paul Gohier was 51

MONTREAL – The McGill University department of athletics and recreation sadly announces the passing of Paul Gohier, one of the first French-Canadian captains of the Redmen football team, who went on to play for the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the Canadian Football League. Gohier died of cancer on Sunday at Lachenaie, Que.  He was 51.

A 6-foot-4, 280-pound offensive tackle with the Redmen, Gohier earned all-conference honours in each of his last two seasons at McGill. He was a second-round draft pick of the B.C. Lions in the 1980 Canadian Football League’s amateur draft but returned to play two more years at McGill, capping his university career in 1981 when the Redmen finished first with a 7-0 record. He went on to play offensive guard in the CFL for Hamilton in 1983 and later returned to complete his physical education degree at McGill in 1992.

"Paul was a great team player and one of the first really large linemen that we ever had," said Charlie Baillie, who coached the Redmen from 1972 to 2000. "He was a big strong kid with a good attitude and anchored our offensive line. He will be sorely missed."

Born in La Tuque, Que., on Sept. 12, 1957, Gohier joined the Redmen in 1977 out of College de Trois-Rivieres and won the Fred Dupre memorial trophy as the team’s rookie of the year. He studied physical education at McGill and in 1980, served with Marc Lacelle as co-captain of the Redmen, marking the first time in more than half a century that the team had had a francophone captain, since Rockey Robillard served in that role in 1949.

Visitation is scheduled for Friday (Oct. 17) from 12 noon to 3:30 p.m. at the Guay Funeral Home, located at 850 Montée Masson in Mascouche, Que., followed by a 4 p.m. funeral service at the Mascouche church.


SOURCE:

Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
Dept. of Athletics & Recreation, Room 225 B
McGill University
475 Pine Avenue W.,
Montreal, QC  H2W 1S4
CANADA
514-398-7012 (Tel.)
514-398-1956 (Fax)
www.athletics.mcgill.ca