Joyce Grable has died after recently entering hospice care.
The news of her passing began to circulate on Friday.
Grable (Betty Wade Murphy) was trained under Lillian Ellison a.k.a. Fabulous Moolah and began her career in 1971. She was the second wrestler to assume the name of Joyce Grable after Barbara Nichols previously performed with the name.
Grable was a well-traveled performer who had stints with many of the significant territories including Jim Crockett Promotions, AWA, WWC in Puerto Rico, Central States, Championship Wrestling from Florida, and Portland.
She also trained at Moolah’s school and had a hand in developing Sherri Martel and her future partner, Wendi Richter.
Grable & Richter won the NWA women’s tag titles twice with Grable also winning the belts with Vicki Williams three times.
She was part of a unique “Battle of the Sexes” match at The Omni in Atlanta on November 27, 1980 teaming with Judy Martin in a losing affair to Steve O & Jacques Rougeau Jr.
In 1981, she did a tour with All Japan Women and had stints in the WWF from 1979 through 1983 including several matches at Madison Square Garden.
Her career wound down by 1987 and she retired in 1991 and battled a cancer diagnosis a decade ago.
