Diane Vachon (January 23, 1951 – August 24, 1991) was a Canadian

professional wrestler Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to real-life wrest ...

and singer, best known by her

ring name A ring name is a type of stage name or nickname used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons ...

Vivian Vachon. A member of the Vachon family of wrestlers, she was the sister of Maurice and

Paul Vachon Paul Vachon (October 7, 1937 – February 29, 2024) was a Canadian professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He was a member of the Vachon family, Vachon wrestling family. He is perhaps best known by his ring name Butcher Vachon. Professio ...

, and the aunt of

Luna Vachon Gertrude Elizabeth Vachon (; January 12, 1962 – August 27, 2010) was an American-Canadian professional wrestler, better known as Luna Vachon.Lisa S. Davis,Ex-wrestler Luna Vachon, 48, found dead", ''Tampa Bay Online'' (August 31, 2010). Over th ...

. She is considered one of the best female wrestlers of the 1970s.

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 Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

, Quebec. She left high school following the

10th grade Tenth grade (also 10th Grade or Grade 10) is the tenth year of formal or compulsory education. It is typically the second year of high school. In many parts of the world, students in tenth grade are usually 15 to 16 years of age. Australia In ...

, and briefly attended Constance Brown's Charm School. She later modelled for a short period and worked in an office.

Professional wrestling career

At the suggestion of her brother Maurice, she began to train as a

, and went to

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

to train under

The Fabulous Moolah Mary Lillian Ellison (July 22, 1923 – November 2, 2007) was an American professional wrestling, professional wrestler, promoter and trainer better known by her ring name The Fabulous Moolah. She began her career working with promoter Billy ...

. It was also Maurice who suggested she adopt the

Vivian Vachon (sometimes spelled Viviane Vachon). In 1969, she wrestled for

World Wide Wrestling Federation Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC) was an American sports promotion company. Run by Vincent J. McMahon from the 1950s until the 1980s, the company was originally a professional wrestling and boxing promotion and later became the holding company ...

where she teamed with Bette Boucher feuding with

and

Toni Rose Toni Rose (born December 22, 1945) is an American retired professional wrestler. During her wrestling career, Rose captured the NWA World Women's Tag Team Championship on five occasions; three times with Donna Christanello, and twice with her ...

. During that same year, she also wrestled in

Georgia Championship Wrestling Georgia Championship Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The promotion was affiliated with what had been the world's top sanctioning body of championship titles for decades b ...

using the ring name Vivian Vance. In February 1971, she became the California Women's Champion. She became the

American Wrestling Association The American Wrestling Association (AWA) was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 until 1991. It was founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo. The promotion was born out of the Minneapolis ...

's (AWA) Women's Champion for a time, defeating Kay Noble on November 4, 1971. In the early 1970s she starred in the movie ''Wrestling Queen'', which also included her brothers and other wrestlers. She wrestled in the early 1980s on a tour of Japan, and in 1986 for her brother Maurice's retirement tour. In 2006, she was honored posthumously by the

Cauliflower Alley Club The Cauliflower Alley Club is a non-profit fraternal organization, which includes a newsletter and website, comprising both retired and active professional wrestlers and boxers in North America. Established in 1965 by Mike Mazurki and Art Ab ...

Personal life

Vachon was a talented singer and released a few singles in French. In July 1976, she married wrestler

Buddy Wolfe Leslie Charles Wolff (April 11, 1941 – July 11, 2017) was an American football player and professional wrestler, known by his ring name "Beautiful" Buddy Wolfe, who competed in North American regional promotions including the American Wrestling ...

, but the couple separated three years later in 1979. That same year in November, she married

Canadian Armed Forces The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; , FAC) are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air commands referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Under the ''National Defenc ...

member Gary Carnegie, with whom she had two children, Ian (born 1980) and Julie Lynn (1982-1991). Vachon and Carnegie divorced in 1991.

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 Drunk driving (or drink-driving in British English) is the act of driving under the influence of alcohol. A small increase in the blood alcohol content increases the relative risk of a motor vehicle crash. In the United States, alcohol is in ...

who had run a stop sign in Mont Saint-Grégoire at the corner of route 104 and Rang de la Montagne.

Championships and accomplishments

AWA World Women's Championship The AWA World Women's Championship was the women's professional wrestling title in the American Wrestling Association The American Wrestling Association (AWA) was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ...

( 1 time) *

** Posthumous Award (

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

) *

National Wrestling Alliance The National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) is an American professional wrestling professional wrestling promotion, promotion and governing body owned by Billy Corgan and operated by its parent company Lightning One, Inc. Founded in 1948, the NWA be ...

** NWA Texas Women's Championship (1 time) *

Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame The Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) and Museum was an American professional wrestling hall of fame and museum located in Wichita Falls, Texas; following the postponement of its 19th induction ceremony, planned for May 2020, and an annou ...

** Class of 2015 * Other titles ** California Women's Championship (1 time) ** GPW Women's Championship (1 time)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Vachon, Vivian 1951 births 1991 deaths 20th-century Canadian professional wrestlers 20th-century Canadian sportswomen 20th-century female professional wrestlers Accidental deaths in Quebec AWA World Women's Champions Canadian female professional wrestlers Professional wrestlers from Quebec Professional wrestlers from Vermont Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum Road incident deaths in Canada Sportswomen from Quebec Vachon family NWA Texas Women's Champions