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With broken hearts, we share the loss of our beloved Marc Gorecki (“Newt”, “Marcel”, “Markie-Marc”, “Woolly”, “Greck”) on March 22, 2026, at the young age of 49. The lives of those who love him will never be the same.

Marc shared a beautiful life with his wife, Lasha (nee Hack), and their children, Hudson (“Hudsy”, “Buddy”, “Donkey”, age 16) and Harper (“Baby Girl”, “Harps”, “Beast”, age 12). Marc cherished his wife and children above all else.

He will be forever missed by his parents, Ed and Nancy Gorecki; his brother Scot and sister-in-law Liz; nephews Josh and Isaac; niece Mary; and “adopted” sister Georgia. He will also be deeply missed by his mother- and father-in-law, Cal and Sharon Hack; brothers-in-law David Hack and John Pascua; brother- and sister-in-law Aaron and Kathy Hack; and nieces Jersey and Kaysey. His favourite furry companions, Cody (RIP) and Oakley pup, held a special place in his heart.

Marc was born on Dec. 16, 1976, in Englehart, arriving four weeks earlier than anticipated. As a child, he enjoyed endless hours of outdoor play, fun at the family cottage at Wendigo, and far too much access to gunpowder down at Demarce’s with the neighbourhood kids… but boy, does that make for some good stories now. His grandparents all lived locally and Marc loved spending time with them. He was actively involved in Scouts Canada and, not surprisingly to all who knew him, received the highest honour at the Scout level—the Governor General of Canada Chief Scout’s Award. Marc carried the Olympic torch as it passed through Englehart for the 1988 Calgary Olympics. He attended Holy Family Elementary School and Englehart High School (EHS).

Marc was a born entrepreneur. From a young age, he cut grass and picked sphagnum moss and buckets of cones for the MNR. He quickly learned that moss paid much better when you gave it a good watering right before cashing in—and that filling a bushel bucket with black spruce cones was far more work than anticipated. Marc was not much of a sweets eater; his brother Scot, on the other hand, definitely was. They were allowed one pop a week on Friday night; Marc often chose not to drink his and instead saved it to sell to Scot later in the week. In high school, Marc made the most of a sausage-making fundraiser at the school. Knowing there were plenty of construction workers on-site doing renovations, he came prepared—bringing his BBQ and buying up bags of freshly made sausages to cook and sell personally. As the smell drifted across the job site, it wasn’t long before he was sold out.

In high school, Marc naturally gravitated toward—and excelled in—Tech courses. He enjoyed his time spent with friends on various sports teams and could almost always be found hunting or fishing in his spare time, often at Marion Lake, or downhill skiing at Raven Mountain. The old dairy van, “the magic bus,” got him everywhere he needed to go before eventually being replaced by his treasured “old blue truck,” which later became “Old Yeller” after a few coats of yellow Tremclad paint.

He had fond memories of his time spent working in the summer at Holy Family School for the school board, and although they worked hard, there were plenty of pranks and shenanigans they managed to fit in as well. Marc developed his love for antique furniture and restoration while working at Treasure Chest Antiques with Dan Cranney. This passion led him to Canadore College in 1995, where he completed the Carpentry and Cabinet Making program.

After graduating, he returned to Englehart, where there are far too many stories to tell from his time spent living with “the boys” at the Brownlee estate. He worked in construction before returning to his true passion at Treasure Chest Antiques—first as an employee, and then as owner in 2000 at the age of 24. He loved the craftsmanship and attention to detail in this work. A relationship near and dear to Marc and Lasha’s hearts was formed with Al and Sharon Johnston, who rented space in Marc’s store for their treasures. The shop also became somewhat of a “retirement transition program” for Fred Deacon and Bill Smith, who enjoyed spending time there after retiring.

Marc gave generously to his community through his involvement in the Kinsmen Club, teaching adult woodworking courses at EHS, and serving as a member of the Englehart and Area Volunteer Fire Department. The highlight of that time was competing in firefighter combat challenges with one of his best friends, Derrick Desilets.

Marc always wanted to teach and was approached to teach shop at EHS as an unqualified teacher. He taught one class a day for several years before deciding to pursue it full-time. There was no doubt he had found his calling. He was accepted into Queen’s University’s Technological Education program in 2007 and started two days after marrying the love of his life. He returned to EHS as a full-time Tech teacher and was so fortunate to spend the entirety of his career in a shop he customized and rivaled to be perhaps the best in the province. Marc also shared his master chef skills and passion for cooking in the foods room. He was an exceptional teacher by many accounts, and his students’ participation and achievements in Skills Canada local and provincial competitions brought him immense pride.

Marc was a member of the infamous “Wendigo Chain Gang”; a treasured tradition the annual “canoe trip” with his group of high school friends—now spanning more than three decades and still going strong each year. In earlier years, it meant paddling the Wendigo chain; more recently, it became a little cushier at a cottage on Skeleton Lake in Muskoka. He looked forward to it every year and cherished that time with his crew… though there may be a few moments—especially involving big brother Scot—that he might have wished to forget, but which are likely everyone else’s favourite memories from those trips.

Marc and Lasha began dating in 1998 and quickly knew together they had something special. On July 20, 2005, Marc proposed with a handmade wooden ring—an exact replica of the diamond ring he personally designed for his sweetheart. They were married on June 23, 2007. They built a beautiful life together in their home on the lake in Charlton—Marc truly loved his life there. Their two beautiful children, Hudson and Harper, were the absolute greatest joy in Marc’s life, and he was the most amazing father. He loved all their adventures together, and to say he was proud of those two would be an understatement. Marc lives on in the beautiful character of his two children.

Few people leave this vast a mark on the world… a life so well lived. Not measured in years, but in authenticity, genuine kindness, unwavering loyalty, steadfast dedication, love shared, and lives touched deeply. A love that remains forever, long after this goodbye.

We will celebrate and pay tribute to Marc on Saturday, April 4, 2026, upstairs at the Englehart Arena. Those wishing to express condolences are invited to arrive at 6:00 p.m.; those wishing to be present for his tribute service are asked to arrive for 7:00 p.m. Following the service, all are welcome to stay. There will be plenty of time to see the family as we celebrate our favourite guy the way he would have wanted—good food, good drinks, and great company.

To honour Marc, we have established the “Marc Gorecki Craftsman Legacy Award” at Englehart High School through the Temiskaming Foundation.