It is with deep sadness to announce that Betty Wade-Murphy, best known to professional wrestling fans as the legendary women’s wrestler Joyce Grable, has passed away at the age of 70.
Grable began her in-ring career in 1971 and retired in 1991, and is credited for training several notable female wrestlers, including long-time tag team partner Wendi Richter as well as Sherri Martel.
During her career, Grable held several titles including the NWA Texas Women’s Championship, the NWA United States Women’s Championship, the NWA World Women’s Tag Team Championships on 6 occasions, three times with Wendi Richter and three times with Vicki Williams.
Grable was voted Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Girl Wrestler of the year in 1973 and received the Women’s Wrestling Award from the Cauliflower Alley Club in 2010. In 2012, Grable was inducted into the NWA Hall of Fame, while in 2013, she was inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Grable was a recipient of the Cauliflower Alley Club’s Courage Award Winner last year, while she was also inducted into the St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2022.
On behalf of Wrestling-News.Net, we would like to extend our condolences to the family, friends and fans of Betty Wade-Murphy (aka Joyce Grable).