SUMMARY OF WALTER KOWALSKI’S WAKE AND FUNERAL
- 09/04/2008 (9:49:52 pm)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
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Georgie ....
Here the summary you asked for on Walter's wake and funeral ...
Tom Burke
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September 3, 2008 - Wake -
The wake for Walter Kowalski was held at the Weir - Mac Cuish Funderal Home in Malden, Massachusetts.
There were two viewing times at this funeral home 2 p - 4 p and 6 p - 8 p.
Each session brought people of from all walks of life to pay their respects to Walter.
Tony Garea, WWE agent was at the afternoon session. The room was filled fast with many of Walter's former students and wide spectrum of current indie wrestlers.
I saw some old friends from the days of Bedlam From Boston. Guys and girls that I have seen in some cases in 30 years. Several other notable names in wrestling
that were there for the afternoon session and also in the evening were: Taz, Brittany Brown and Vicky Roxx (TNA girl) and Promoter Sheldon Goldberg.
The evening hours saw more people to a SRO situation with some people having to stand in the hallway as Father David McCourt conducted a prayer service. I was asked by the family on Monday of this week to do a eulogy for Wednesday night. This was no doubt one of the greatest honors that I have ever had in my years in wrestling.
I did a time line of my assocation with Walter which will be 50 years this month when I first saw Walter when I was 12 years old. My focus on the talk was not to
talk about his years as a wrestler, but as the man that I knew and loved.
Howard Finkle of the WWE was at the night session, as was Kenny Dykstra of the Spirit Squard, Terry Allen, promoter of Big Time Wrestling was also there. Promoter
Dick Blake of the newly formed, The Way Wrestling Was Promotions (no music, mat wrestling, strickly old school - not even a curse word).
September 4, 2008 - - Funeral
The Funeral was held at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Malden.
Father David McCourt was the celebrant of the Mass for Christian Burial.
Pall Bearers - Triple H, Mike Hollow, Don Bravo, Richard Bryne, Dana Carpenter, Freightrain and Jamie Jamitowski.
Father David gave a very nice homily at the mass and shared his personal stories about Walter.
Don Bravo gave a elequonet eulogy at the end of the Mass.
Over 200 people attended the mass.
Triple H showed real class by staying around after the mass and talking to people and old friends. It had been quite a few years since I last saw Triple H and that was when he was wrestling for Walter as Terra Rizing. We spoke and then he says, "Do you still do a newsletter?" I use to hand out my Global Wrestling News zines to the boys at Walter's show.
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Commentary ...
We have lost a legends of legends this past week. Walter was a 2nd father, teacher, mentor, business partner and more then anything a true friend.
I wil miss Walter, however, I hold those moments that we shared as something as a great gift.
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