10 Things You Didn't Know About George "The Animal" Steele
1. His Marriage Lasted 61 Years
Wrestling can be very hard on families, especially during the 1980s. Back then, WWE superstars were expected to spend weeks on the road at a time, working crazy schedules and missing time with their loved ones. It's no surprise that so many relationships from the era ended in divorce.
Steele managed to avoid that trend. He married his wife, Pat, in 1956, just before starting his undergraduate degree at Michigan State. It wasn't long before he became a father to two sons (Dennis and Randy) and a daughter (Felicia). In fact, it was the impending arrival of his third child that made Steele realize that he needed to bring in some extra income and don the boots and tights.
Steele continued to wrestle part time and teach the rest of the year until 1986, when he finally left teaching in order to wrestle year-round. Of course, his career ended soon after, and he and Pat eventually relocated to Florida. They lived there together until his death.