Jack Poole, 76, who died after a lengthy battle with cancer, was applauded for his efforts to bring the Winter Olympics to Vancouver.Jack Poole, 76, who died after a lengthy battle with cancer, was applauded for his efforts to bring the Winter Olympics to Vancouver. (CBC)

A private funeral is planned on Tuesday for Jack Poole, who is widely credited for leading the effort to bring the 2010 Winter Games to Vancouver.

Poole, 76, was the chair of the Vancouver Organizing Committee and its predecessor bid committee that originally won the 2003 bid to bring the Winter Olympics and Paralympics to Vancouver and Whistler.

Poole, died in Vancouver on Friday after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer, but just hours after the lighting of the Olympic flame in Greece officially launching the relay that would lead to the opening of the Games on Feb. 12 in Vancouver.

His family has requested that the funeral at 2 p.m. PT at Vancouver's Christ Church Cathedral on Burrard Street remain private. Poole's friend and business partner, David Podmore, is expected to speak to the media on the lawn outside the church afterwards.

Poole, who was also a successful developer and philanthropist, was awarded the Order of British Columbia and the Order of Canada and the Queens Jubilee Medal for his public service.

With files from The Canadian Press