Widow of WWE Legend Gorilla Monsoon passes away

Legendary WWE figure Gorilla Monsoon was a titan in pro wrestling history, albeit a polarizing one. The four-time Hall of Famer won championships inside the ring and later called the action outside of the squared circle. Gorilla's wife of more than 40 years has tragically passed away after working on a major project.

Robert Marella was nicknamed "Tiny" as a standout athlete in high school. He debuted in the ring as Gino Marella in 1958 and later became Gorilla Monsoon, a new character that brought success to his young wrestling career. The on-screen WWE President met Maureen Hess, who became Maureen Marella when they tied the knot in 1959. The Marellas had three kids: Sharon, Valerie, and Joey, a former WWE referee who passed away at the age of 31 in a 1994 car accident.

Mrs. Marella passed away on Sunday, February 16 at the age of 85. The obituary for Gorilla's widow notes that she passed peacefully at the United Methodist Community in Collingswood, NJ, where she lived for the past three years.

Wrestling writer Brian Solomon paid tribute to Mrs. Marella on X, noting that he got to know her while writing a biography on the 1994 WWE Hall of Famer, who was inducted into the Ithaca College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1973, the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum in 2010, and the Tragos/Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011.

"I'm deeply saddened to learn of the passing on Sunday of Mrs. Maureen Marella, the widow of Robert 'Gino' Marella--the great Gorilla Monsoon. She was wrestling royalty, and it was my pleasure and my honor to get to know her during the process of writing my biography of Gino. She was a wonderful woman who gave me her trust and her precious memories and insights, which I valued very highly. It was a dream of mine to be able to put the published book in her hands, but we didn't quite make it," Brian Solomon wrote.

Solomon continued and noted how Maureen's daughter Valerie had been reading the manuscript to her, and she was enjoying it. The to-be-released project is dedicated to Maureen.

"I'm glad to hear from her daughter Valerie that she had been reading the manuscript to her and that she was enjoying it very much, so I take some solace in that. It's dedicated to her, and rightfully so. I hope I can do justice to one of wrestling's greatest and purest love stories as part of the story I'm trying to tell. Those were great days, and should never be forgotten--just as she shouldn't, and won't," Brian Solomon wrote.

Maureen was raised in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City. The great-grandmother will be remembered in services on Friday and Saturday, then buried at Lakeview Memorial Park in Cinnaminson, NJ. Gorilla is mentioned by his name, Robert "Gino" Marella, in Maureen's obituary, but there is no reference to his WWE career or how Maureen was regarded as wrestling royalty. The Marella and Hess families stated that they are deeply appreciative of the love and support they have received.

Legendary ring announcer Gary Michael Cappetta wished Maureen a Happy Birthday in April 2024 and recalled how she made him feel comfortable when they were with WWE/WWF higher-ups. Cappetta was just 21 years old at the time, and Gorilla was his boss.