The Faculty of Applied Health Sciences (FAHS) is mourning the passing of prominent alumnus and Dean’s Alumni Council member Wray Maracle. The well-known leader at Six Nations of the Grand River Territory and in sport throughout Ontario died March 20 after a battle with cancer.

FAHS Dean Peter Tiidus called Maracle, a Sport Management graduate in 2007, “a valuable member of my Alumni Council whose presence and knowledge will sadly be missed.” Tiidus said Maracle provided advice on making Brock a more accessible destination for First Nations students considering post-secondary education, and served as an advisor to more than 50 Brock students who volunteered in the 2017 North American Indigenous Games as part of the Major Games Field Course.

Coming to Brock’s Sport Management department as a mature student, he had an impact on faculty and colleagues, said Sport Management Associate Professor Laura Cousens, who taught Maracle. “In my mind, he was doing sport for development long before it became fashionable.”

Well-known in the lacrosse world, he was the first Indigenous sportswriter to win the Ontario Lacrosse Association award for exceptional support to the sport.

“He worked hard and talked about making the world a better place,” said Sport Management Associate Professor Cheryl Mallen, “which I believe he did for those he served and worked with. He will be missed.”

An obituary and further arrangements will be posted at RHB Anderson Funeral Homes Ltd.