On July 25, 2023, Rocky Wirtz, the chairman of the Chicago Blackhawks, passed away at 70 after a brief illness.
However, the exact detail of his illness is not revealed yet.
The Wirtz family has owned the Hawks since 1954, and Rocky took over as the team’s fifth principal owner following his father Bill’s passing in 2007.
In a statement, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman expressed deep sadness at the sudden loss of William Rockwell ‘Rocky’ Wirtz and acknowledged his significant contributions to the team and its fanbase.
“Rocky’s focus on connecting with the club’s fans and improving the team’s performance on the ice rekindled Chicago fans’ love affair with their hockey team and built a modern dynasty.”
The Blackhawks achieved impressive results throughout his tenure as chairman.
They made it to the postseason ten times, reaching five Conference Finals and securing three Stanley Cups.
Late Rocky’s net worth was approximately $500 million at the time of his death.
Rocky Wirtz Wife, Marilyn Wirtz, And Four Kids Remember His Legacy
As per the sources, Rocky was married twice. He first tied the knot with Kathleen, but unfortunately, they divorced.
However, the exact details of their marriage and separation have not been made public.
Following the divorce, he exchanged wedding vows with Marilyn and resided with her in the northern suburbs of Chicago until his passing.
The late businessman had three children from his previous marriage, and from his second marriage, he had a stepdaughter.
Rocky is survived by his wife, Marilyn, and his four children: Danny (Anne) Wirtz, Hillary Wirtz (Erin Quaglia), Kendall (Brendan) Murphy, and Marilyn’s daughter Elizabeth Queen (Joe Barley).
Danny expressed the family’s deep sorrow stating,
“Our hearts are very heavy today. Our dad was a passionate businessman committed to making Chicago a great place to live, work and visit, but his true love was for his family and close friends. His passing leaves a huge hole in the hearts of many and we will miss him terribly.”
In addition to his children, Rocky had six grandchildren.
Danny Wirtz, CEO Of The Chicago Blackhawks
The son of the late Rocky completed his education at Boston College, majoring in communications in 1999.
He has been working as the chief executive officer at Chicago Blackhawks since April 2020.
In addition, Danny is also a board member of Embarc and the owner of Banner Collective.
Previously, he worked at Breakthru Beverage Group for over eleven years, starting in June 2012.
Over that period, he held various positions at the company, like vice chairman, president, executive vice president, and senior vice president.
On a personal note, he exchanged wedding vows with Anne and has two daughters, Rosemary and Juniper.
