J.P. Parise's services set for Friday in Edina

Services are scheduled for Friday for J.P. Parise, the former Minnesota North Star standout and father of Wild star Zach Parise, who died last week.

Friday is an open date on the Wild schedule, allowing players and staff to attend the services at Colonial Church of Edina, 6200 Colonial Way. The Wild will be back after a game in Buffalo the night before and then host Arizona on Saturday.

Visitation at Congregational-affiliated church starts at 1 p.m., with services to follow at 3 p.m.

The Parise family requests that memorials be directed to Defending The Blue Line (www.defendingtheblueline.org), a charity that supports military hockey families that was "dear to J.P.'s heart," the obituary read.

J.P. Parise, who died at age 73 Wednesday in his Prior Lake home from lung cancer, was a two-time NHL All-Star for the North Stars and a key player for Team Canada in the "Summit Series" against the Soviet Union in 1972. His last season was 1978-79.

Jean-Paul Parise's paid obituary in Sunday's Star Tribune was addressed "Dear Dad" and noted how the family "watched you put together the fight of your life but the burden was too great for one person to bear. …

"As young boys, the simplest tickle, beard rub, and wrestling match ensured us that we were never alone. With mom, a daily hug and kiss confirmed that it was going to be another great day. You knew that it was the simple things in life that mattered most. As time went on and we became men, we began to recognize the astounding impact that you had on other people."

The paid obituary did not list survivors. Along with Zach, J.P. Parise is survived by his wife, Donna, and another son, Jordan, who was a goaltender for the University of North Dakota, where Zach also played in college. Survivors also include a son and a daughter from a previous marriage.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482