RIP Georgiann Makropoulos

It's a sad day in pro wrestling as we mourn the loss of Georgiann Makropoulos, who passed away from a heart attack yesterday at the age of 67.

Prior to the advent of wrestling insider newsletters and the Internet, there were newsstand magazines and their were fan clubs set up for wrestlers by some of the more diehard fans. Georgiann Makropoulus was the queen of wrestling fan clubs, having been founder and president of the fan clubs for Buddy Rogers and, most notably, Bruno Sammartino.

She went on to write for numerous wrestling magazines and, later started her own newsletter, "The Wrestling Chatterbox" which continuously published until her passing. As the online medium developed, she wrote for Bob Ryder's 1wrestling.com, and later and most recently for Wrestling Collectables' wrestlingfigs.com web site.

Georgiann was freinds with many of the top stars in the business. She and Bruno Sammartino were as close as family. Anyone who met Georgiann was instantly struck by her kindness and willingness to befriend anyone who was a wrestling fan.

She was involved in the business from the late 50's and transcended eras, never losing her passion for pro wrestling, in spite of all the changes to it in this last generation. I first met her in the 70's here in Boston at the old Garden, but didn't really get to know her until I started publishing the Mat Marketplace newsletter in the early 90's. She was always ready to help with anything if asked.

While she was first and foremost a fan, she was known for brokering deals for wrestlers with both big and small promotions, and looking out for autograph signing opportunities for her friends. I don't know anyone who ever said anything negative about her, and that is a rare thing in such an ego intensive business.

Georgiann was truly one of a kind. Her passing is the true end of an era. The most apt statement was one I read from someone on Facebook, saying she was a treasure to our business that can never be replaced.