In Memoriam – AJJF Professors

The American Judo and Jujitsu Federation remembers and honors its ohana who have passed.

Read more about their lives and contributions
Danzan Ryu Founder
AJJF Founders
AJJF Professors
Additional Honored Ohana

Have an update, additional information or new entry? Contact us at gro.fjja@ohceiaik.

AJJF Professors

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Professor Betty Jane (BJ) Maillette

Betty dedicated much of her life to teaching Jujitsu and self-protection to women. She was active in the American Judo and Jujitsu Federation (AJJF), receiving the title of Professor in 1972, and in 1980 attaining the rank of Rokudan, 6th degree Black Belt. Read more

Professor James Musselman

Jim began studying jujitsu with Prof. Estes in December, 1948.  He progressed though the kyu ranks and soon began teaching classes of his own. He has stated many schools in California. Read more

Professor Ken Regennitter

In 1960, shortly, after a visit to (Prof.) Bill Beach’s school in Florida, Ken joined the AJJF and began teaching jujitsu as well as judo.  He was promoted to Godan and made Professor by the AJJF in 1966. Read more

Senior Professor Lamar Fisher

Prof. was taking business classes at Chico State College (now called California State University-Chico) and helping to teach class there when he first heard about Bud Estes’ jujitsu dojo at the Chico airport in 1948. Prof. tagged along with a friend. He found a half dozen people practicing on three portable 4-foot by 8-foot mats. “After I met Bud, I never went back to any of the college classes at all in the gymnasium,” Prof. said. Read more

Photo Courtesy www.danzan.com

Associate Professor Louise Imiko Okazaki Mullins

Professor Louise Imiko Okazaki Mullins, Shichidan, was the youngest daughter of Professor Henry Seishiro Okazaki. She began training at home with her sisters, Betty (Wolf) and Myrtle (Oberman). Read more

Associate Professor Jack Wheat

He studied jujitsu under the founder of Danzan Ryu, Henry Seishiro Okazaki.  He also studied judo and became the first Caucasian to receive a black belt from the Kodokan in Japan. Read more

Associate Professor Ramón “Lono” Ancho Jr.

A couple of days later, he saw the boy again and approached him. The boy immediately got ready for another fight, but Lono said, “No, No! I don’t want to fight. I want to know what you did to me.” The boy invited Lono to the kid’s class at Master Henry Okazaki’s dojo and started training in Danzan Ryu. He was nine years old. Read more

Professor Bill Beach

While stationed in the Navy, in the 1950’s, Bill Beach began his studies of the Kodenkan system at Professor Ray and Marie Law’s American Judo & Jujitsu School in Oakland, California. Read more

Professor Sig Kufferath

A serious martial artist, Sig practiced six days a week at the Kodenkan.  Master Okazaki promoted him to black belt in May 1941, and by the following year Sig started a school of his own.. Read more

Professor Florendo Visitaction

He was awarded the rank of Godan and made a Professor of the AJJF on February 26, 1966. Shortly after, Professor Visitaction retired from the AJJF. Read more

Professor Patrick Browne

Pat had an interest in martial arts throughout his childhood and had studied some judo and karate while still in elementary school. Then, in the fall of 1967, Pat visited the Naperville YMCA and saw DanZan Ryu jujitsu for the first time. Read more

Professor Bert Aspinall

Born on August 2, 1914, in Iowa, Bert moved to Alameda, California where he studied judo and then joined Laws’ American Judo & Jujitsu School in 1956. Studying four to five nights a week, he obtained his Shodan in 1958, and Nidan the following year. Read more

Professor William “Bill” Montero Sr.

In 1935 he approached Professor Henry Okazaki to inquire about jujitsu as he had heard that he had opened the doors of learning to all races.  Bill became the first student of John Cahill and helped to start the Hui Mikiki dojo. Read more

Professor James Birmingham

James Birmingham was a student at Professor Ray and Marie Law’s American Judo & Jujitsu School in the 1950’s. Read more

Professor Marie Law

Ray and Marie’s life entered a new phase about 1937, when they moved to Hawaii with their two small sons. They were inaugurating a series of educational, health and public relations projects for the benefit of the youth of the Islands. Shortly after arriving, they met their new neighbor, Master Henry S. Okazaki and their lives changed forever. Read more

Professor William Morris

While serving in the infantry in 1941, Bill was first exposed to martial arts. His unit was also trained by Master Okazaki’s students while he was stationed at the Jungle Training School on Oahu, Hawaii, in 1943. Read more

Professor Lucille “Luke” Estes

Around 1948 Uncle Bud married Auntie Luke. They were a couple born for each other. Making a number of trips to the Hawaiian Islands (I still have a wooden ukulele they brought back for me) they revisited the place where Uncle Bud was probably the happiest in his life. Read more

Professor Abbie Cahill

Abbie Cahill was promoted to the rank and title of AJJF Professor in 1956. Read more

Professor Carl Lundin

Carl was very much impressed by Okazaki’s esoteric principles of Judo. Carl believed that they were written for him and his life style. He used the principles as a base to develop his open mindedness and goodwill towards others. Read more

Professor Norman Carl Nelson

Carl Nelson, born into a large family, studied judo and jujitsu with Dick Takamoto and Professor Ray Law at Laws’ American Judo & Jujitsu School in Oakland, California, for many years. Read more