Walter Gretzky Remembered as a Man With ‘A Heart of Gold’ at Funeral

Hockey hall-of-fame legend Wayne Gretzky (2nd R) cries as he watches the casket of his father, Walter Gretzky, be carried from the church during a funeral service in Brantford, Ont., on March 6, 2021. The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette

BRANTFORD, Ont.—Walter Gretzky’s family thought the end was coming quickly in the middle of February.

The father of hockey’s greatest player had suffered a serious hip injury, and after battling Parkinson’s disease and other health issues in recent years, his time — something Walter was always willing to give both friends and strangers — appeared to be running short.