Former WWE Star Corporal Kirchner (Michael Penzel) Dead at 64

By Connor Casey

Former World Wrestling Federation star Michael Penzel, better known as Corporal Kirchner, passed away this week at the age of 64. Making his debut in 1980 while training under the AWA's Vergne Gagne, Penzel first found national success by joining the WWF in 1984, first as RT Reynolds and later as Corporal Kirchner (playing off his military background after serving in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division). While he never won a championship in his four years with the company, he did have a rivalry with Nikolai Volkoff that landed him a spot on the WrestleMania 2 card in 1986. 

He departed from the promotion a year later and would have stints in Stampede Wrestling, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the UWF and Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling under the name "Super Leatherface." 

Per the obituary on Dignity Memorial, "Michael is survived by his wife of 25 years, Tina Duke Penzel; sons, Haden James Kirchner, Kyle Michael Kirchner (Neterre) and Justin Cruz (Linzi); daughter, Krystal Tuck; parents, Thomas Bain Kirchner and Genevieve O'Callaghan Kirchner; and grandchildren, Korbyn Annette Kirchner, Ryden James Kirchner, Elora Kirchner, Talan Robert Tuck, Dalayna Nicole O'Brien, Wyatt Alexander Tuck, Hunter Bain Tuck, Grayson Cruz; sisters, Susie McFarland and Lynn Walcott; and brother, Curtis Bain Kirchner."

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