Dory Funk Jr. poses with a reproduction of his Heavyweight Wrestling Champion of the World belt at his house in Ocala, Fla. on Jan. 23, 2026. He handed away Aug. 4 in Ocala. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]
Talk a few punch to the intestine—that’s how I felt when Marti Funk known as me at present to let me know the legendary Dory Funk Jr. had handed away.
Dory, after all, is world well-known. But the native Texan has lived in Ocala so lengthy that we declare him as one of our personal.
Earlier this yr, the “Ocala Gazette” wrote about Dory on the point of rejoice his 85th birthday on Feb. 3 and discovered from the couple how they met and extra. According to Marti, he handed away below hospice care, at present, Aug. 4. The two had been “sweethearts” for 46 years and had been married for 40.
For years, they ran the Funking Conservatory in Ocala, the place he taught a protracted record of latest wrestling stars.
In April of 2025, Dory Funk Sr. turned a legacy inductee into the WWE Wrestling Hall of Fame, becoming a member of his sons Dory Jr. and Terry. During that February interview with the “Gazette” at his house in Ocala, Dory donned his father’s diamond WWE corridor of fame ring and talked with delight about his early days of studying life classes from his dad on their ranch in Texas. Dory’s personal corridor of fame ring, alongside along with his gold National Wrestling Alliance Champion of the World Wrestling Heavyweight belt, are on show in Japan, the place he has wrestled many instances and is thought of an icon.
The historical past of the Funk household contains Dory Sr. serving to form the way forward for professional wrestling and being a mentor to a few of the most well-known names within the enterprise, as was Dory Jr., who additionally was identified for his in-ring achievements and for being a promotional innovator.
Dory Jr. was born Feb. 3, 1941. His profession in skilled wrestling started in 1963, following his faculty soccer profession with West Texas State University.
His accomplishments embody induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009 and holding the CWA World Heavyweight Championship, WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship and the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, for which he was the second-longest reigning champion of all time.
His brother Terry additionally had a stellar profession. Terry handed away in 2023.
In 1973, Dory Jr. made his debut for All Japan Pro Wrestling after which had a prolonged profession with that group. On Aug. 24, 2024, for his remaining skilled match, Dory teamed up with previous buddy Osamu Nishimura. A wrestlingheadlines.com description of the occasion notes that it was a Double Hell Current Explosion Death Match on the FMW-E Terry Funk Memorial and Atsushi Onita fiftieth anniversary on the Fujitsu Kawasaki Stadium.
When requested about a few of the highlights of his storied profession, Dory Jr. informed the “Gazette” again in January, in his greatest Texas drawl, “Well winning the world championships, of course. And my first match.”
When requested what recommendation he would have for younger wrestlers simply getting began, he at first mentioned in a smooth elevate, “Never quit.” Then, a bit louder, “Never quit!” And then, very loudly and forcefully, “NEVER QUIT!”
In 2022, Dory wrote “The Last of a Great Breed: True Stories from a Career in Pro Wrestling.” The cowl photograph, which includes a snarling Dory, in a black cowboy hat, holding a bullwhip and with hearth seemingly coming from his fist, was created by Dave Schlenker, a famous longtime Ocala author, editor and photographer.
The two had shaped a friendship over years of Dory being featured within the pages of the “Ocala Star-Banner,” the place Schlenker labored for a very long time. Schlenker went head-to-head with Dory on Nov. 24, 2012, on the Funking Conservatory, in a match/fundraiser for the Marion County Literacy Council. He famous in a column printed Nov. 8, 2012, that he had been inspired to “smack-talk” Dory to amp up the stakes.
When requested in January what he needed to say about Dory, Schlenker texted: “I have always loved the dichotomy that is Dory Funk Jr. This is a guy who used to toss 300-pound to 400-pound dudes out of the ring after nearly crushing them with the spinning toe hold. There’s also barbed wire and blood in there somewhere. But he’s the sweetest, gentlest human. Just a bear of a grandfather. He’s an icon, both in Ocala and in professional wrestling.”
On Aug. 4, through textual content, Schlenker wrote:“A true loss, not just for wrestling but for Ocala. Huge heart. A gentle giant who could crush you like a gnat. I loved to make Dory laugh, and he laughed often. He loved this town, its people and, of course, its pets. I will sincerely miss him. This is a tough one for me.”
According to Marti, the household could have a personal ceremony to honor Dory’s life. In November, on Thanksgiving Day, there might be a public memorial service to honor Dory, Terry and a few famous Japanese associates. The “Gazette” will publicize particulars nearer to the occasion.
“He was such a good guy,” Marti mentioned softly, then extra strongly, “such a good guy!”
