Decorated Hockey Hall of Fame member and four-time Stanley Cup Champion Howie Meeker passed away on Sunday, Nov. 8 at Nanaimo Hospital. He was 97-years-old. (Bernie Pascall/Twitter)

By Ian Holmes

legendary figure

‘He loved to help people:’ Howie Meeker remembered for more than hockey accomplishments

Nov 9, 2020 | 4:57 PM

PARKSVILLE — Tributes are pouring in for Howie Meeker,who was described by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a great Canadian.

The longtime French Creek resident passed away at the age of 97 on Sunday, Nov. 8 around 10 a.m. at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, according to longtime friend Bernie Pascall.

Meeker’s incredible resume includes a Hockey Hall-of-Fame induction as a broadcaster, four Stanley Cup wins with the Toronto Maple Leafs, serving in the Second World War, being a member of parliament and a lengthy career as a popular NHL television personality.

He was also an Order of Canada recipient in 2011. Meeker spent more than four decades advocating on behalf of Special Olympics BC and also backed the B.C. Guide Dogs movement.

Pascall, a retired well-known BC sportscaster, told NanaimoNewsNOW Meeker spent much of his life building other people up in multiple ways, including his legendary long-running hockey school in Parksville.

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“Even in recent years if he saw a young player and could offer some advice Howie was quick to do so,” Pascall said. “He loved people and he was a real character person.”

Pascall said the well-liked and colourful Meeker was driven from a young age to be a difference-maker in whatever he persued.

“He was small in stature, big in heart. I think a lot of people told him when he was young and small that he’d never make it and I think that’s all he wanted to hear and that drove him.”

Pascall was a high school student when he first met Meeker, then the Maple Leafs head coach, for an interview.

They’d later work together starting in the late 1970’s after Meeker left the Leafs and joined Pascall as a colour commentator for mid-week Vancouver Canucks games on BCTV.

Pascall chuckled thinking back to Meeker’s attachment to his innovative but cumbersome telestrator for used to provide analysis during intermissions.

“His telestrator was in a huge suitcase, he’d come from Qualicum Beach over to Vancouver with it, nowadays it’s probably the size of a cell phone. He was so protective of it, that was his bread and butter. We all took turns lugging this giant thing around.”

Pascall said Meeker, a die-hard Leafs’ fan, was entertaining to watch hockey with on TV, often raising his voice if he disagreed with the referees or if a player missed an assignment.

“He was a student of the game, had a great appreciation for hockey in general. He’d watch games a little differently than the average fan.”

Hockey wasn’t Meeker’s only passion.

Dan Howe, president of Special Olympics BC, said Meeker tirelessly advocated for the organization for more than 40 years.

“Not only did (he) do great things for hockey and great things for his community, he did great things for people with intellectual disabilities by lending his name, respect and authority to say ‘we can do better,'” Howe said.

Howe noted Meeker took great exception to the “out of sight, out of mind” barriers young people with cognitive disabilities involved with sports faced dating back to the 1970’s.

“So many of our athletes don’t have that voice to be able to come out and say to others ‘We just want to be treated like everybody else.,’ Howe said.

The primary ice sheet at Oceanside Place is named after Meeker.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com
On Twitter: @reporterholmes