Dory Funk
1919–1973 (age 54)
Professional Wrestler
Biography
Dory Funk came of age when the rough-and-tumble world of professional wrestling was just beginning to find its voice. He stepped into the ring in the 1940s, earning a reputation as a hard-hitting performer whose toughness, showmanship, and commitment to the craft cemented his place on the burgeoning independent circuit.
Beyond the spotlight, he helped steward the sport as a trainer, promoter, and husband and father, sharing his knowledge with young hopefuls and helping to build a wrestling community that would carry on long after his retirement from active competition.