Gord Christian, one of three prominent hockey-playing brothers from Warroad, Minnesota, passed away last Friday at the age of 89.

“Ginny” won a silver medal with the United States at the 1956 Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, scoring five goals in six games. He also played for the U.S. at the 1955 and 1958 World Championships. The latter was significant because he played with Roger and Bill.

A proud Minnesotan, Gord Christian attended the University of North Dakota from 1947 to 1950, leading the team in scoring the first two years. Among his teammates was Ralph Engelstad, who had immense influence on the school’s hockey program later in life.

Christian and Engelstad played semi-pro hockey in San Bernardino, California, but Gord was called up by the U.S. Army National Guard in 1951. He later played senior hockey with the Hibbing Flyers and Warroad Lakers, and after retiring he coached the Lakers as well.

Christian also worked for his father as a carpenter and before retiring from business he oversaw construction of the new Warroad Gardens in 1985. He was inducted into the UND Athletic Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Minnesota Olympic Wall of Fame in 1990.

Engelstad later funded the building of a new arena for UND – perhaps the finest NCAA arena in the U.S. – and Christian’s name is on a wall commemorating the university’s best players.

ANDREW PODNIEKS