Gwen Farrell, an actress who had a recurring role on the classic TV series M*A*S*H who went on to become a boxing referee, has died.
The actress, who also went by her married name Gwen Farrell Adair, died of natural causes on Thursday, her son Keith Farrell told TMZ. She was 93.
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Gwen Farrell’s family announced her death in a post on a GoFundMe page on Friday, where they are looking to raise money to cover Farrell’s funeral and burial expenses.
“Gwendolyn ‘Gwen’ Yancey Farrell was born in Austin, Texas, and lived a life full of strength, character, and quiet resilience,” Farrell’s family wrote on GoFundMe. “She was the daughter of Lovie Yancey, founder of Fatburger, and carried forward that same determination and independence throughout her life.”
Farrell appeared in a recurring role in 26 episodes of M*A*S*H from 1972 to 1983. She played various characters in the series, from uncredited nurse roles in Season 1 in 1972 to various turns as Nurse Butler, Nurse Wilson, Nurse Able and Nurse Gwen in Seasons 2 through 9 and Season 11.
Farrell’s life, however, expanded far beyond her screen roles, including a pioneering work as a boxing referee.
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“In 1980, Gwen stepped into the boxing world as a referee in California, a space where women were rarely seen at the time,” the Farrell family GoFundMe page reads. “With confidence, fairness, and unwavering composure, she earned the respect of fighters, trainers, and fans alike. She didn’t just do the job; she broke barriers and proved that strength comes in many forms.”
Farrell’s screen credits as a boxing referee include a stint on ESPN Top Rank Boxing in 1993. On June 5, 1988, Farrell made history by becoming the first female to referee a world title fight when she officiated a junior-middleweight match between Pedro Ortega and Luis “Yory Boy” Campas in Tijuana, Mexico, according to the Los Angeles Times.
In 2005, Farrell’s career as a referee earned her a spot in the World Boxing Hall of Fame (as Gwen Adair).
Gwen Farrell Also Appeared In ‘Starsky And Hutch’ And A ‘Billy Jack’ Movie
Gwen Farrell’s screen debut came in an uncredited role in the 1972 Jim Brown action thriller Black Gunn. She also appeared in uncredited bit parts in the 1973 dystopian sci-fi classic Soylent Green, and the 1974 disaster thrillers Earthquake and The Towering Inferno.
In 1975, Farrell appeared in the uncredited role of Diane Sills in the police procedural Starsky and Hutch in one episode in 1975, as a bit role as a supporting actress in the dramatic thriller Billy Jack Goes to Washington in 1977.
Farrell’s recurring turns in various roles on M*A*S*H were her last screen projects.
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This article was originally published on Forbes.com