Judy Bagwell, a former WCW personality and the mother of former WCW star Buff Bagwell, died on Friday, Buff Bagwell announced on Twitter Monday. She was 78 years old. Buff Bagwell revealed that his mother was battling dementia at the time of her death.
“It is with a heavy heart we must announce that this past Friday the matriarch of the Bagwell family has passed away,” Buff Bagwell wrote. “Judy Bagwell was blessed with three amazing children, a loving husband and so many great memories over the years. Thank you to everyone that has asked about her over the years, and have kept her in your prayers during her battle with dementia. Judy Bagwell was 78. RIP Judy 1943-2021.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
Judy first appeared in the WCW storylines back in the late 1990s, as mentioned by Wrestling Inc. At the time, her son was feuding with Chris Kanyon. Buff defeated Kanyon in a match where Judy was suspended above the ring in a forklift. Judy also was a tag team champion with Rick Steiner. At Halloween Havoc 1998, Rick and Buff defeated Scott Steiner and the Giants to win the WCW World Tag Team Championship. But Buff turned on Rick during the match, leading him to find a new partner. He chose Judy, and the duo was scheduled to take on Buff and Scott at WCW World War 3 1998, but the match never happened. The titles were vacated in January 1999 after Rick suffered an injury.
“I was with Buff when he visited her the night before,” Buff’s manager Vinny Bucci wrote on Twitter. “Thank God he got to see her and say goodbye. He’d be in much worse shape otherwise.” Bucci along with Michael Long launched a GoFundMe page to help the family with funeral expenses.
“Many people know Judy Bagwell as the entertaining, spunky, fighting mom in World Championship Wrestling, but she was so much more to the ones that knew her,” the page read. “Judy went out of her way for her family, and now that family wants to say a proper goodbye to the one who gave them so much. All funds raised will go towards giving Judy Bagwell a proper funeral and helping her husband of many years get back on his feet after a heavy loss.”
