Vivian Vachon
Diane Vachon (January 23, 1951 – August 24, 1991) was a Canadian professional wrestler and singer, best known by her ring name Vivian Vachon. A member of the Vachon family of wrestlers, she was the sister of Maurice and Paul Vachon, and the aunt of Luna Vachon. She is considered one of the best female wrestlers of the 1970s.[2]
| Vivian Vachon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Birth name | Diane Vachon[1] |
| Born | January 23, 1951[1] Newport, Vermont, United States[1] |
| Died | August 24, 1991 (aged 40)[1] Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada[1] |
| Cause of death | Traffic collision |
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Children | 2 |
| Family | Vachon |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Vivian Vachon Viviane Vachon[2] |
| Billed height | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)[1] |
| Billed weight | 160 lb (73 kg)[1] |
| Trained by | Mad Dog Vachon[3] The Fabulous Moolah[1] |
| Debut | 1969[2] |
| Retired | 1986 |
Early life
Diane Vachon was born on January 23, 1951 in Newport, Vermont to Ferdinand and Marguerite Vachon, and was part of the Vachon family. The youngest of thirteen children, Vachon was raised on a farm near Montreal, Quebec. She left high school following the 10th grade, and briefly attended Constance Brown's Charm School. She later modelled for a short period and worked in an office.[1]
Professional wrestling career
At the suggestion of her brother Maurice, she began to train as a professional wrestler, and went to South Carolina to train under The Fabulous Moolah. It was also Maurice who suggested she adopt the ring name Vivian Vachon (sometimes spelled Viviane Vachon).[1]
In February 1971, she became the California Women's Champion.[4] She became the American Wrestling Association's (AWA) Women's Champion for a time, defeating Kay Noble on November 4, 1971.[4] In the early 1970s she starred in the movie Wrestling Queen, which also included her brothers and other wrestlers.[5] She wrestled in the early 1980s on a tour of Japan, and in 1986 for her brother Maurice's retirement tour.[1] In 2006, she was honored posthumously by the Cauliflower Alley Club. Existing autographs signed by Vachon are thought to be rare.
Personal life
Vachon was a talented singer and released a few singles in French.[1]
In July 1976, she married wrestler Buddy Wolfe, but the couple separated three years later in 1979.[1] That same year in November, she married Canadian Armed Forces member Gary Carnegie, with whom she had two children, Ian (born 1980) and Julie Lynn (born 1982).[1] Vachon and Carnegie divorced in 1991.[1]
Death
Vachon and her nine-year-old daughter Julie died in a car accident on August 24, 1991. They were hit by a drunk driver who had run a stop sign in Mont Saint-Grégoire at the corner of route 104 and Rang de la Montagne.
Championships and accomplishments
- American Wrestling Association
- Cauliflower Alley Club
- Posthumous Award (2006) with Bobby Shane
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Class of 2015[6]
- Other titles
References
- Oliver, Greg (February 11, 2013). "The life and loves of Vivian Vachon, Wrestling Queen". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
- "Maurice 'Mad Dog' Vachon, Paul "Butcher" Vachon, and Vivian Vachon". Canadian Pro Wrestling Page of Fame. Archived from the original on December 26, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2008.
- "Deceased superstars: Vivian Vachon". Bodyslamming. Archived from the original on March 15, 2008. Retrieved January 17, 2008.
- "Wrestler Profiles: Vivian Vachon". Online World of Wrestling. Retrieved December 26, 2007.
- Oliver, Greg (May 9, 2013). "Wrestling Queen a celebration of Vachons, wrestling of the '70s". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
- Oliver, Greg (November 26, 2014). "Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2015 announced". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved November 28, 2014.