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Hockey Community Mourns Passing of Walter Gretzky

Friday, 5 March 2021 at 06:27

Photo Credit: Wayne Gretzky Facebook page

Walter Gretzky, the father of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, has passed away at the age of 82.

BRANTFORD - Hockey fans in Oxford County, Brantford and across the rest of the country are mourning the loss of Canada's favourite hockey dad.

Walter Gretzky, the father of Wayne Gretzky, has passed away at the age of 82.

His son shared the news on Twitter last night. He says he bravely battled Parkinson's disease and other health issues. He also says his Dad was the reason he fell in love with hockey and he always inspired him to be the best he could be.

Walter was born in Canning, Ontario and he even played for the Junior B Woodstock Warriors in his teen years. He was considered to be a small hockey player standing at 5'9 and weighing only 140 pounds. 

He married his wife Phyllis in 1960 and they raised their five children in Brantford. Wayne was their oldest and he was born in 1961. 

Walter started teaching Wayne how to play hockey on their backyard rink when he was only three-years-old.

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