Professor Gene Edwards was born in Chico, California on January 24, 1943. Gene began training in jujitsu while in high school at Orland Judo & Jujitsu Academy with (Prof.) Musselman. He was promoted to Shodan in 1959 and became a co-school head at Orland in 1960.
By 1963, Gene moved to Chico and commuted to teach his classes at Orland. He also began teaching with (Prof.) Ball at Chico State College. In 1964, he became sole school head of Orland and taught there until he went to the Navy in 1968.
Stationed in the Philippine Islands, he established the Okazaki Do of the Philippines at Columban College in Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines. There were no mats, but about 12 hardy students worked out on hardwood floors. He taught there until he left in late 1969.
Returning to California, he started the Calistoga Institute in 1970. Classes were held at a high school, and he also taught at classes sponsored by Napa College and the local parks and recreation department. Gene moved to Middletown in 1984 and soon turned these classes over to a student. By 1985, Gene started Shin Mei Kan club.
Gene has studied judo, various styles of karate and tai-chi and teaches kempo-jutsu and tai-chi to his jujitsu students. He has sponsored national and regional AAU tournaments.
Professor Edwards was promoted to Godan in 1976 by the AJJF and later to Rokudan in 1988. Professor Edwards retired from the AJJF in the late 1980’s and moved to Montana where he established the Christian Jujitsu Association on May 5, 1994.
Reprinted from Danzan Ryu: An Unbroken Tradition (1992) by permission of the author, Mary L. Boland.
Additional information provided by Bob McKean, July 8, 2008.