Hello I got a new Rest in Peace post for you today and it for the sadden passing of wrestling legend Terry Funk.
Terrence Funk (June 30, 1944 – August 23, 2023) was an American professional wrestler. He was known for the longevity of his career – which spanned more than 50 years and included multiple short-lived retirements – and the influential hardcore wrestling style he pioneered in the latter part of his career. He is considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.
Over the course of his career, Funk has wrestled for numerous major promotions, among them All Japan Pro Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling, the International Wrestling Association of Japan, Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, the United States Wrestling Association, World Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and multiple National Wrestling Alliance territories including Big Time Wrestling, Championship Wrestling from Florida, Georgia Championship Wrestling and Stampede Wrestling. He was the promoter of the Amarillo-based Western States Sports promotion.
Championships held by Funk include the ECW World Heavyweight Championship, NWA World Heavyweight Championship, USWA Unified World Heavyweight Championship, WWF World Tag Team Championship, and ECW World Television Championship. He headlined ECW’s premier annual pay-per-view event, November to Remember, three times. Funk has been inducted into multiple halls of fame, among them WWE, WCW, NWA, and Hardcore.
My best memories of terry are brief. I only saw him on many of the old World Championship Wrestling WCW VHS and regular appearances on WWE television.
Personal Life:
Funk married his wife Vicky Ann on August 14, 1965. They had two daughters together, Stacy and Brandee. For many years, Terry and Vicky owned a ranch in Canyon, Texas, which they later sold. Vicky died on March 29, 2019, as confirmed by Ted DiBiase on Twitter. In the documentary film Beyond the Mat, Funk is told by a doctor he needs a knee replacement. Years later, he had the operation.
Funk was close friends with NFL player John Ayers. Funk was also close friends with Sylvester Stallone. On September 12, 2016, Funk underwent surgery for an inguinal hernia, and was supposed to be resting and in bed for a couple of weeks, but chose to attend Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore shows.
In June 2021, fellow wrestling legend Don Muraco reported Funk was diagnosed as living with dementia and was living in an assisted living facility.
Death: Terry Funk died on August 23, 2023, at the age of 79.
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