Former Brier champ and longtime curling broadcaster Ray Turnbull dies at 78

Turnbull was inducted into the World Curling Hall of Fame in 2015 and the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. (Source: TSN)

Ray Turnbull, a member of the World Curling Hall of Fame and Manitoba's 1965 Brier championship team, has died. He was 78.

Curling Canada said on its website that Turnbull died of leukemia at the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre.

Born in Huntsville, Ont., Turnbull rose to prominence as a curler in Manitoba. He served as the lead for Terry Braunstein's squad that captured the '65 Canadian championship and finished runner-up to the United States at the world men's championship in Perth, Scotland, later that year. Don Duguid was also a part of that team.

Turnbull became a successful analyst after his career and was part of TSN's curling broadcast team from 1985-2010. He covered several national and international events including the Tim Hortons Brier, Scotties Tournament of Hearts, countless world championships and the curling competition at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

"He loved family..loved life..loved red wine..LOVED curling..my TSN partner for 25 years..Ray Turnbull has passed..heaven now has a lead RIP," longtime TSN curling announcer Vic Rauter posted on Twitter.

Turnbull was inducted into the World Curling Hall of Fame in 2015 and the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. He was also inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 1993 as both a curler and a builder.

"It is with deep sadness that I convey the sincerest condolences from the World Curling Federation and the curling community worldwide to the family and friends of Ray," World Curling Federation president Kate Caithness said in a statement. "He did so much throughout the years to grow the sport both on the ice and through his 25 years of TV commentary. He was justifiably rewarded when inducted into the World Curling Federation Hall of Fame. He will be sorely missed."

Turnbull had deep roots to Winnipeg. He was president and partner of local insurance company Turnbull Whitaker Insurance, which he originally founded in 1965. He was also a member of St. Charles Country Club.

With files from Nolan Kowal