The Publisher
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Nov 21, 2010, 6:57 AM
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EIGHT BELLS - Tony Gretzky
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From Jim Gretzky:
My father, Tony Gretzky, passed away Thursday on his 81st birthday. After a career change had my folks moving to western Michigan 50 years ago, they took up sailing in the 210 fleet of the Muskegon Yacht Club, first as crew and later as owners. They built their first 210 by themselves in the garage over the winter of 1962-63, a feat all the more remarkable as my Mom was pregnant with my younger sister at the time!
Early on, they started traveling to the east coast to attend the Nationals, a tradition Dad continued until bad knees forced him to “retire” in 2007. Dad was a past Commodore, Fleet Captain and Regatta Chair for far too many regattas to remember! They started with their neighbors as crew and when we became old enough, it was an all family affair.
Their love of sailing and the family environment led us kids to stick close to the sea and stay involved with sailing. My older brother Harold sailed at the Naval Academy, I became a naval architect out of Webb and my younger sister Patty remains very active at the Muskegon Yacht Club. Both my parents were very supportive of the Junior Sailing Program. Dad was so proud when Patty’s daughter Emily and son Anthony finished 1-2 in an Opti Regatta this past summer.
My parents and the others in the local one-design fleets created such a positive environment at the club - they made sailing fun and passed this love onto their kids and grand kids. Dad was an institution in Western Michigan and he touched so many sailors in one-designs, cruising boats, grand prix fleets as well as the new sailor taking their first steps! He will be missed by family, friends and sailors from Michigan to Massachusetts!
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