Ed Wiskowski, better known as Colonel DeBeers and The Polish Prince in the wrestling world, died at 80.
Dave Meltzer from Wrestling Observer shared the news, with Wiskowski’s daughter confirming the sad news.
Highlights
- Ed Wiskowski’s first marriage fell apart, and after losing contact with his children, Wiskoski moved in with a furniture saleswoman in the Pacific Northwest, Suzanne Schultz.
- With two kids in private school, he couldn’t afford to take risks in his early career, which made him cautious about pushing promoters too hard for better pay.
- Wiskoski dealt with several health challenges resulting from a body that had taken a lot of punishment over his long wrestling career.
Originally from Kansas City, Wiskowski made a name for himself in Portland wrestling and became well-known for his controversial character, Colonel DeBeers.
He was respected for his skills in the ring and left a lasting impact on the wrestling scene.
DeBeers began his wrestling career in 1972 after being trained by legends like Harley Race. He went on to have a notable run in the AWA.
He also competed in several other major promotions, including Big Time Wrestling in San Francisco, Central States Wrestling, NWA Tri-State, and Pacific Northwest Wrestling.
With First Marriage Failure, Ed Wiskoski Moved On With Second Chance, Suzanne Schultz
With Bruiser Brody as a key mentor, Wiskoski quickly adapted to the wrestling world.
With two kids in private school, he couldn’t afford to take risks in his early career, which made him cautious about pushing promoters too hard for better pay.
A social media user, Steve Simon, shared that he was at Wiskoski’s wedding, where he married a family friend.
I was at his wedding, he married a family friend…..
Steve Simon
His first marriage fell apart, and after losing contact with his children, Wiskoski moved in with a furniture saleswoman in the Pacific Northwest, Suzanne Schultz.
They later moved to the greater Phoenix area and lived comfortably in a gated community, happy to hang out in the pool or play softball.
Wiskoski was always entirely private when it came to his family.
Despite his public persona in the wrestling world, he never revealed the identities of his family members or made them a part of the spotlight.
In his later years, Wiskoski dealt with several health challenges, the result of a body that had taken a lot of punishment over his long wrestling career.
He underwent the removal of a kidney and battled cancer. In a 2017 conversation, he shared the toll that treatment had taken on him, saying, “
The chemo’s taken its toll. You know, good days, bad days. Some days you get up, get out of the house; some days I don’t.”
Ed Wiskowski
Despite these struggles, Wiskoski continued to face his health battles, even though it often took a heavy toll on his daily life.
After all, Wiskoski found a more permanent spot in the Pacific Northwest, where he became a well-known figure in the wrestling scene.
Wiskoski debuted in August of 1977 when the Northwest territory was home to some of the best wrestling talent.
He brought a style similar to Harley Race’s, including his signature top-rope headbutt, which helped him capture the Northwest Championship for a six-month reign.
During this time, he also formed a highly successful tag team with Buddy Rose, with the duo winning the Northwest Tag Team Titles and the SF World Tag Team Titles on multiple occasions.
Additional Information
- While his time in St. Louis wasn’t financially lucrative, Wiskoski made the most of his time there, enjoying the local Polish community.
- He won tag titles with Larry O’Day. Although O’Day was known for being a “stiff” worker, Wiskoski appreciated the good pay and tough matches, even if O’Day’s style sometimes left him bruised.
- Though a car accident sidelined him early in his wrestling career, he returned to the ring a few months later in 1972, initially wrestling as “Easy Ed” Wiskoski.
