Local memories of Walter Gretzky

By Mark Ribble

With the passing of Walter Gretzky last week, many local people who had met or befriended ‘Canada’s Hockey Dad’ reacted with sadness.

Walter Gretzky was the epitome of the Canadian hockey parent and a role model for many who came after him. His dedication to teaching his sons the game was second to none.

The father of ‘The Great One’ made several trips to this area, either with the NHL Alumni groups or often, with friends.

Two years ago, Mr. Gretzky appeared at a local greenhouse label maker and made himself available for an entire day, signing autographs and shaking hands.

The open house was held to promote the business and it brought hundreds through the door that day. Walter made sure that every person he spoke to felt welcomed.

During that same trip, Mr. Gretzky was introduced to Leamington’s Deputy Mayor, Larry Verbeke, who arranged to give him a tour of his Wayne Gretzky shrine in his Leamington home.

Verbeke, a long-time Gretzky super-fan, has a room dedicated to number 99 in his basement.

Walter Gretzky surrounded by the Verbeke family, from left, Margaret, Larry and James.

Verbeke family photo

“It was always my dream to get Wayne Gretzky to come and look at my Gretzky room,” said Verbeke this week. “Instead, it was an honour to have his father come and see it.”

Verbeke told of Walter Gretzky spending a couple of hours with he and his family two years ago, with a promise to come back in 2020. That trip didn’t happen because of COVID.

“He sat down with us and started telling stories,” said Verbeke. “He was a great gentleman, down to earth and very humble.”

Paul Arrowsmith, who grew up in Leamington, but moved away as a teenager, returned to Leamington a couple of years ago and was responsible for bringing his long-time friend, Walter Gretzky, to town that day in February, 2019.

Arrowsmith met Walter many years ago when he was working for Kraft Canada. He had approached Mr. Gretzky about being involved in some campaigns and he gladly said yes. That decision cemented a long friendship between the two.

Arrowsmith’s brush with the Gretzkys happened long before that meeting, however.

In 1973, the Chatham Kinsmen Peewee baseball team went to the Canadian Championships and won the Canadian title. They were allowed to pick up a couple of standout players from other cities to bolster their roster. One of them was Leamington shortstop Paul Arrowsmith, while the other was 12-year-old Wayne Gretzky of Brantford.

From the February 27, 2019 issue of the Southpoint Sun, the late Walter Gretzky reads the local community paper on the Verbeke couch.

Verbeke family photo

“I have a heavy heart today,” said Arrowsmith on Monday. “I’ve never met anyone like Walter and I never will.”

Arrowsmith’s connection with the family kept him in the loop on Walter’s recently deteriorating health and although it came as no surprise, it was still a shock to realize his friend was gone.

“I’m going to miss him,” he said. “I never saw him complain or talk bad about anyone. He was a wonderful person.”

Another local story about Mr. Gretzky occurred several years ago when a local hockey team was playing in a Brantford tournament and one of the fathers decided to take a couple of the players to find the famous Gretzky house.

Once they located the house, he sent his son to the door to knock and ask Walter for an autograph. Not only did he get his autograph, the entire bunch was invited in for a tour of the Gretzky home and a great chat with Walter Gretzky.

Mr. Gretzky touched many local hockey fans and parents alike and his loss will be felt in many circles throughout Canada and the world.