Kay Noble Mary Charlene Noble ( October 15 , 1940 – April 27 , 2006 ) , known from childhood by her nickname Kay Noble , was an American female professional wrestler . Her career spanned from the 1950s to the 1980s , during which time she was known for her toughness in the ring . She worked along well - known female professional wrestlers such as Penny Banner , The Fabulous Moolah , and Gladys Gillem . She also wrestled in mixed tag team matches with partners such as her husband Doug Gilbert and Terry Funk . During her almost thirty years wrestling , she held the Texas Women ' s Championship , Central States Women ' s Championship , and AWA World Women ' s Championship . She was also honored by the Cauliflower Alley Club in 2001 , before dying of stomach cancer in April 2006 . Professional wrestling career . Noble first wanted to become a professional wrestler at age 15 and wanted promoter Gust Karras to help her break into the business . She , however , did not began her professional wrestling career until 1957 at the age 18 after being approached by a promoter in her hometown of St . Joseph , Missouri . She was trained by Laura Martinez and Sonny Myers . The following year in October 1958 , Noble , along with Lorraine Johnson , Penny Banner , and Laura Martinez were charged with inciting a riot when they began fighting outside of the ring , but they pleaded not guilty in court . The promoters of the event paid the fine . She later helped train male professional wrestler Colonel DeBeers . During her career , she held both the Texas Women ' s Championship and Central States Women ' s Championship . Throughout her years wrestling , Noble was known for her toughness and strength . She was also a high - flying wrestler . In the 1960s , she worked primarily in Minneapolis , Minnesota . During this time , she wrestled a series of mixed tag team matches with her husband Doug Gilbert against Roy Collins and Barbara Baker . She also wrestled a series of matches against and teaming with Betty Niccoli . She also wrestled as the partner of Jack Cain in mixed tag team matches against Jean Antone and Terry Funk . Funk was also her partner on occasion . Her other well - known opponents included Penny Banner , The Fabulous Moolah , and Gladys Gillem . In 1963 , she won the vacant AWA World Women ' s Championship by defeating Kathy Starr in Minnesota , and she held the tile for approximately eight years , losing it to Vivian Vachon in November 1971 in Canada . She was named WFIA ' s " Girl Wrestling of the Year " in 1971 . By the 1980s , Noble only wrestled part - time while raising her children In 2001 , the Cauliflower Alley Club , a society of retired professional wrestlers , honored her contributions to women ' s wrestling . Personal life . She once worked for Bob Geigel as a bartender in Kansas . After retiring from professional wrestling , Noble entered into the pest control and upholstery industries . Noble owned Kay ' s Upholstery in Amarillo , Texas . She later worked in pediatrics at Baptist St . Anthony ' s Hospital . In her spare time , she played the piano . Noble was first married to Doug Gilbert ( Doug Lindzy ) , whom she met in an elevator and married in 1959 . The couple had three children : Teresa , Michael , and Steve . After having the children , the couple bought a home in South Bend , Indiana , where they also owned horses . Her second marriage to Dean Fortune produced two sons , David and Danny . In November 1985 , she married Dick Bell , to whom she was still married at the time of her death . She died on April 27 , 2006 in Amarillo , Texas due to an inoperable cancer of the stomach , having been diagnosed the previous October . Her funeral was on May 1 , 2006 . At the time of her death , she also had 20 grandchildren and one great - grandchild .