A number of wrestling personalities and journalists, including Dave Meltzer on Twitter and Mike Mooneyham on his personal Facebook account are reporting that Doris Adkisson (born Doris Smith), the former wife of Jack “Fritz Von Erich” Adkisson and the mother of the Von Erich brothers, has passed away. She was 82.
RIP Doris Adkisson. No mother should have ever had to endure what she lived through.
— Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) October 24, 2015
Yesterday, her son Kevin had been tweeting about his mother succumbing to complications from emphysema:
https://twitter.com/KevinVonErich/status/657606795737698308
https://twitter.com/KevinVonErich/status/657638240455782400
https://twitter.com/KevinVonErich/status/657638913612185600
Unfortunately, Doris is best known for having to endure the early deaths of all but one of her children (Kevin being the only survivor). The deaths were reportedly a factor in her split from Jack/Fritz. The first tragedy was a freak accident, with Jack Jr. dying in 1959 after being electrocuted,. David, Mike, Chris, and Kerry died over the course of about a decade from 1984 to 1993, with all but David committing suicide. David officially died of an intestinal illness, and while accounts of wrestlers who were in Japan with him have supported alternate theories, he did look seriously ill n his last matches in Texas.
The deaths of her sons devastated Doris much in the ways you’d expect. In his book, Gary Hart wrote about how, when she’d visit his office, she’d touch the photos of her sons and almost break down crying when she left.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to the Adkisson family.
Comments
4 responses to “Von Erich Family Matriarch Doris Adkission Passes Away”