Gordon R. Renwick

1935 - 2021  (85 years)

• Name	Gordon R. Renwick
  Born	13 Feb 1935	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Gender	Male
  Honoured	Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame
  Interesting	sports, business
  Residence	2001	Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-430757
  Died	6 Jan 2021	Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Person ID	I430757	Generations
  Last Modified	12 May 2024

  
  

  Father	Donald Renwick,   b. Jul 1907, Essex Co., England ,   d. 22 Dec 1963, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age ~ 56 years)
  Mother	Daisy Bolt,   b. 4 Oct 1908, Whitchurch, , Devonshire, England ,   d. 25 Jun 2001, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 92 years)
  Married	4 Apr 1934	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  Family ID	F57599	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Maggie
  Last Modified	13 May 2024
  Family ID	F61644	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 2	Merle Irene Keys,   b. 13 Dec 1936, Amaranth Twp., Dufferin Co., Ontario ,   d. 2 Sep 1999, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 62 years)
  Children	1. Linda Renwick   2. Dianne Renwick   3. Brenda Renwick   4. Don Renwick   5. Jimi Renwick
  Last Modified	13 May 2024
  Family ID	F61645	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Lifetimes: Gord Renwick played prominent role in hockey world By Valerie Hill Special to the Record They met because of hockey and enjoyed a lifetime of international travel because of hockey but the funny thing was, Maggie Renwick didn't much care about the sport. At least not at first. Her husband, Gord Renwick, an inductee in the Cambridge sports Hall of Fame, was known around the world as a leader and a determined supporter of amateur hockey. Maggie lived in Toronto, Gord in the Galt area of Cambridge where he ran a construction company his father founded. They had both been invited to a party in Collingwood. Maggie arrived with two friends and was pretty bored all night. Hoping to leave by midnight, her friends had other plans so Maggie resorted to raiding the fridge. That's when Gord, arriving late after a hockey game in Cambridge, sauntered in around midnight and said to the host "so who did you pick out for me?" The host replied, it was the one with her head in the fridge, she recalled. "He didn't talk much and that intrigued me," said Maggie, who married the tardy visitor in 1978 after a nine-year courtship. Gord was married previously and had five children. Maggie had a well-paid job in administration for Ted Rogers but was growing weary of the commute. Gord was born in Galt, Feb. 13, 1935, one of three kids. His father, Donald founder of Renwick Construction, brought his sons Don and Gord into the residential home building business. Unfortunately, Donald fell from a barn roof and died in 1963. Gord took over the business and proved himself an astute businessperson, expanding to constructing industrial and commercial buildings. His brother, Don, was less interested and left to pursue a real estate career. Maggie said Gord was known as honest and caring about his tenants, regularly visiting them to ensure all was OK. Mike Lawrie, a friend, said Gord was "modest and humble, a very good listener." The couple were also generous and donated millions to the reconstruction of Cambridge Memorial Hospital. Always anonymously. "He tended to shy away from recognition," said Mike, a doctor, adding there is a bridge at the hospital named in his honour. The only time he agreed to publicly declare his donation was in 2007 when the couple set up a $4.5-million endowment fund for the Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation. Gord had sold all his rental properties a year earlier and wanted to do something for the community. The foundation hoped others would follow his example. Gord's devotion to his community had taken an unexpected turn in the mid-1960s, one that would lead him to a different kind of recognition. Although Gord's first love was baseball, he was asked to revamp the Galt Hornets senior hockey team. As club president, Gord organized, promoted and landed lucrative sponsorships, helping the team win two national championships. The team went on to represent Canada in European tournaments, where he soon created a cross-pollination between Canada and European hockey clubs. He told a reporter, "It opened up the door, the opportunity for senior clubs right across Canada to go to Europe and play in tournaments and meet the guys." The modest man received many awards. In 2007, he was presented with the Order of Hockey in Canada, recognizing his work developing Canadian amateur hockey and competition internationally. He also served as president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. "It wasn't NHL: he liked Canadian games, international hockey," said his daughter Brenda Renwick. "He liked doing this for the country." These international tournaments meant the couple had a rich travel life as they attended events in Asia, Europe and Russia. In his free time, Gord played golf and sailed. Maggie remembers being enamoured with images of a rental sailboat in Australia, spotted on a magazine cover. Within days, the two were in Australia and on that very boat for a rather thrilling sail. "There was a storm coming: we went anyway," said Maggie. Their idyllic life nearly came to an end in 1988 in a serious car crash on the way to their Muskoka cottage. Gord spent months recovering, requiring multiple surgeries, including reconstruction of his face using bone from his skull. He later told a reporter that the crash taught him a valuable lesson. "I decided never to put things off anymore," he said. That lead him to run for president of the International Ice Hockey Federation, a bid he lost though he had served as vice president from 1986 to 1994. Gord was inducted into the federation's Hall of Fame in 2002 and in Canada, the Renwick Cup is named in his honour. Gord died Jan. 6 but his legacy in hockey will not be forgotten. "Lifetimes: Gord Renwick Played Prominent Role In Hockey World". 2021. Therecord.Com. https://www.therecord.com/life/2021/02/01/lifetimes-gord-renwick-played-prominent-role-in-hockey-world.html. ________________ GORDON RENWICK OBITUARY Gordon Renwick was born in Galt, Ontario in 1935. On Wednesday, January 6, 2021 he peacefully passed away at Stirling Heights Long Term Care home in Cambridge in his 86th year. He is survived by his wife Maggie, his sister Betty Hevenor (David), his children from his first marriage (Merle), Linda Canning (Joe), Dianne Shiels (Kevin), Brenda Renwick (Nat), Don Renwick (Michelle) and Jimi Renwick (Amanda). Also survived by 16 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Predeceased by his parents, Donald and Daisy Renwick and also his brother Don Renwick. His career began with Renwick Construction, a company started by his father. His company built many homes and industrial buildings in the Cambridge area. Although Gord was a big baseball fan, his passion was his involvement in ice hockey. This began with him, as President, leading the Galt Hornets to Allan Cup championships in 1969 and 1971. He then became President of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) and then on to Vice-President of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). Throughout his hockey career he received many prestigious awards. Including being inducted into the Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame three times. He was also honoured along with the inaugural class of the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2012. He was made a life member of Hockey Canada and is also the namesake of the Renwick Cup, awarded annually in the AAA senior ice hockey league. During his retirement he enjoyed vacations at sea with all of his children and grandchildren. His favourite place was his Muskoka cottage on Lake Rosseau and spending time there with his family and friends. A special thank you to all his loving caregivers, Reina, Loraine and Brenda, who took excellent care of him during the last few years. A celebration of Gord's life will be held at a later date when it is safe to do so. In lieu of flowers, donations to a charity of your choice would be greatly appreciated by the family.

  
  

• Sources

  [S2856] zzzaaa Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, marriage certificate 022726 (1934). Name:Donald Renevick Gender:Male Age:27 Birth Year:abt 1907 Birth Place:Essex England Residence:Galt, Ontario Marriage Date:22 Mar 1934 Marriage Place:Galt, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Father:Robert Renwick Mother:Susan Isabelle Renwick Spouse:Daisy Bolt Name:Daisy Bolt Gender:Female Age:25 Birth Year:abt 1909 Birth Place:Whelchurch, England Residence:Galt, Ontario Marriage Date:22 Mar 1934 Marriage Place:Galt, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Father:Sydney Bolt Mother:Florence Minnie Bolt Spouse:Donald Renevick

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 13 Feb 1935 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 2001 - Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 6 Jan 2021 - Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth