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Toni Adams, Former Valet and Wife of Chris Adams, Passes Away

Posted: Jul 1st 2010 By: CMBurnham

Oklafan was saddened to learn of the death of former wrestling valet Toni Adams, who passed away last Thursday. She was 45.

Toni Adams began her association with pro wrestling by working as an assistant to the production staff of WCCW. There she met her future husband, Chris Adams, and the two were married in Hawaii after his divorce from Jeanie Clark.

Toni first appeared on television during an angle where Chris had been blinded with Freebird Hair Cream by Gino Hernandez. Toni was seen in a couple of interview segments helping to guide her husband around during his "injury".

Toni followed Chris to the UWF, where she was given a role as an on-air interviewer to the wrestlers. But when Chris left the UWF, Toni followed him back to WCCW and this was where she got her first major notice as she officially became his manager. In one memorable segment, she was attacked by P. Y. Chu-Hi and Tojo Yamamoto and her blouse was ripped open on TV before Chris could come to her rescue.

Toni would help run Chris' wrestling school and continued to stay at her husband's side while he engaged in the feud with Chu-Hi and Yamamoto as well as one after that with Billy Travis. She took to carrying a kendo stick as protection during this time.

Toni's career hit it's high point in 1990 when Chris began a feud with his first student, Steve Austin. Austin had married Jeanie Clark, Chris' ex-wife and the two pairs engaged in some of the most heated mixed tag team matches the area had seen. But despite supporting her husband in public, things weren't so blissful at home as Chris' alcoholism was taking its toll on their marriage. Toni was assaulted by Chris in 1989 during a drunken rage and sentenced to one year's probation. The couple , who had one son named Chris Adams, Jr., would divorce in 1991.

Toni changed her ring name to Nanny Simpson and re-entered the USWA in 1993, serving as a manager for Brian Christopher and engaging in a feud with Koko B. Ware and Miss Texas. Her career wound down with her in the GWF as part of Devastation, Inc.. She also managed King Parsons against Chris Adams until the federation closed. She retired in 1995.

After wrestling, she relocated to Chicago, but eventually married a man named Leaonard Donahoo and was living in Louisville, KY at the time of her death.

Oklafan extends its condolences to Toni's family and friends at this time.