William H. Marron (September 6, 1946 - November 6, 2017)

Philosophically speaking, all martial artists dream of the day when they finally “have an understanding of all things.” They want to be at a level of understanding, where the mind and body act as one. How many times have we thought to ourselves, “I can do that,” only to find out, sometimes painfully, that our bodies were not up to the task.

For over 40 years, I have believed and taught that everyone has numerous levels of learning, understanding, and “oneness,” all at the same time. Therefore, when we are about to learn something new, like a kicking technique, we start out with “nothing” in our memory be- tween our mind and body. Depending on the person, the next phase can be any length of time.

We practice and practice until the technique is actually a part of ourselves. Thus, we end with “nothing” because we don’t have to think about a technique as we execute it – it’s just “there,” Hence, we start with nothing (because we didn’t know the technique to begin with), and we end with nothing (because it has become such a part of us that we don’t have to think about the technique before executing it – it’s just there). If we apply this philosophy to all phases of our life, we will all end up being better persons.

The Odo Lineage Summary

Master Seikichi Odo

Master Odo was born on July 26, 1926 in the village of Agena on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Being teased by older male students in school, Odo needed something to help him develop his body to ward off his peers. He began his martial arts training in judo at the age of nine through the physical education program in elementary school. At the age of thirteen, Odo decided to try another martial art style and began to study Okinawa-te with Sensei Masuda at the Hanza school district. After changing public schools three years later in 1942, Master Odo continued his studies for the next four years in Okinawa-te with Sensei Koho Kuba at Kawasaki, Okinawa. Master Odo considered Sensei Kuba (Kokuba) as his first instructor. At the age of twenty, Odo began his studies in kobudō with Sensei Mitsuo Kakazu and Master Shinpo Matayoshi who lived in Ishikawa.

When Master Odo was 23 years old he switched his empty-hand martial arts study to Okinawa kenpo at the dojo of Master Shigeru Nakamura in Nago, Okinawa. From that time, Master Odo considered Nakamura his principal instructor and mentor. Always a student of the martial arts, Master Odo later trained with Seiki Toma, a senior student of Chotoku Kyan. It was under Master Nakamura that Master Odo brought together all his vast knowledge of kenpo karate and kobudō from his past instructors: Sensei Koho Kuba (Tomari-te), Master Shinpo Matayoshi and Sensei Mitsuo Kakazu (kobudō), Seiki Toma (kobudō), and Master Shigeru Nakamura (Okinawa kenpo karate). In 1972, the Okinawa Kenpo Karate Renmei appointed Master Odo as president of the All Okinawa Kenpo Karate-do League. Soon after his appointment, Master Odo completed incorporating kobudō into the Okinawa kenpo karate empty-hand system as taught by Master Nakamura. This development led to another organization title, the Okinawa Kenpo Karate-Kobudō Shudokan. Master Odo became one of the first instructors to combine a karate system with a complete weapons system.

William (Bill) H. Marron

Professor Marron was born on September 6, 1946, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At the age of 11, Professor Marron moved to Anchorage, Alaska and subsequently to Lubbock, Texas where he started his martial arts training for the next two years in Tae Kwon Do until he enlisted into the United States Marine Corps. Three months later PFC Marron was in Vietnam as a forward observer. He returned home on Thanksgiving Day in 1967, 13 months after he left the United States. Professor Marron continued to look for another instructor in the martial arts while being stationed along the East Coast but it wasn’t until he received orders for San Diego, California that he met Gunnery Sergeant Stan Mattson at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in 1969 that he was able to continue his studies. Professor Marron was promoted to 1st degree black belt (shodan) in Hawaiian Kenpo (AK-KA) in February, 1971. Ironically, all three of Shihan Ron Alo’s senior instructors (Professor Stan Mattson, Professor Bill Marron, and Sensei Jim Reifinger) were transferred to Okinawa. Once in Okinawa, Professor Marron (at Professors Mattson’s advice) was able to locate Master Seikichi Odo (1923-2002; 10th degree black, hanshi; red belt). “I introduced myself to Master Odo and told him that I was a 1st degree black belt in Hawaiian Kenpo (Alo Kenpo-Karate Association; AK-KA). Master Odo just smiled and said that all kenpo was the same to him and invited me to come to his classes. I was able to locate a white belt and put myself in the back of the class the next evening. After 10 minutes, Master Odo came up to me and said: ‘Tomorrow, you wear black obi.’ I really believe that he respected me more as a student because I was willing to start the Okinawa system at the bottom. We really hit it off and after a very short while I fell into an extremely rigorous routine.” Within 8 months Professor Marron had learned all of the Okinawa Kenpo Karate and Okinawa Kobudō kata.

Before leaving Okinawa, he was promoted to 2nd degree black belt (nidan) in Okinawa Kenpo Karate and Okinawa Kobudō (1974). During his stay in Okinawa, Professor Marron was honored by Master Odo by being allowed to teach Master Odo’s classes in his absence. The last day he was at Master Odo’s dojo (training hall), Master Odo presented Professor Marron with his own nunte bo. Professor Marron was also presented with a “teacher’s certificate” – equivalent to 3rd degree black belt (sandan) so that he would be able to teach in the United States. The main reason Professor Marron left Okinawa was that he had applied and was accepted to the Marine Corps associate arts degree (AA) completion program. Professor Marron arrived at Kansas City, Kansas to attend Johnson County Community College (JCCC) to earn an AA in computer science. Professor Marron taught classes in Hawaiian Kenpo (AK-KA) and Okinawa Kenpo Karate (OKKKF) in his garage and Okinawa Kobudō workshops at Mid-American Nazarene University, Olathe, Kansas. Professor William “Bill” Marron (Hanshi master, 10th degree black belt) passed away very unexpectedly on Monday, November 6, 2017 at his home in Sun Lakes, Arizona. He will be missed but never forgotten. Professor Marron will always live on through the many lives he touched through the martial arts. Professor Marron was a true master of the 3 martial arts systems he taught and practice for 5 decades.

Crayton L. Moss

Shihan Moss was born April 3, 1954 in St. Louis, Missouri. Shihan Moss began his martial arts training with Professor Bill Marron in 1974, in Olathe, Kansas, while he was attending Mid-America Nazarene University. The combative attributes of wrestling helped Shihan Moss discover the warrior spirit that is developed in kenpo karate. He was fortunate, and calls it providential, that he located Professor Marron as an instructor and Sensei Bud Harbin as his practice partner because Professor Marron taught the traditional style of kenpo karate: kata and self-defense techniques. Professor Marron’s dojo (school) was located in his one-and-a-half car garage. There was no heating or air conditioning. Workouts were hard and long with good memories. After Sensei Harbin and Shihan Moss learned that Professor Marron, a warrant officer in the Marine Corps, would be stationed in another state upon completion of his degree in computer science, they attended every open hand session Professor Marron offered. After every session, Sensei Harbin and Shihan Moss went to Sensei Harbin’s home and continued to practice in his living room, writing down what they had been taught that night. Shihan Moss (master, 7th degree black belt) continued the practice of writing the techniques of kata during his continued study to learn Okinawa Kenpo Karate and Kobudo (weapons). From these notes 3 books along with this booklet were created.