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
Recent Memorials
Memories of Professor Carr – by Jeff Hansen
I met Professor Jane Carr in 1997. I was allowed to train with her by my sensei. He told me to call her and ask for permission to come to class as I was a new green belt. I was traveling to Redding as a salesperson for fire protection materials and...
read moreMemories of Professor Jane Carr from an Interview with Professor Don Cross
This remembrance was drawn from an interview with Professor Don Cross by Katie Murphy Stevens in October 2022. My earliest recollection of Jane Carr was working out with her at black belt classes in Chico, California. This would have...
read moreProfessor Carr’s Tournaments – by Professor Scott Redden
I was asked if I would like to write something in remembrance of Professor Carr. I knew I did, although I was afraid it would drag on and get confusing. How do I tell nearly forty years of stories and not get off track? I decided to focus on one...
read moreRemembering Professor Jane Carr – by Professor Delina Fuchs
I was fortunate enough to meet Professor Jane Carr as a little girl in the 70’s, and even then, I could tell that she was an incredible martial artist! I remember looking up to her in awe, and in seeing that kind of exceptional skill in a woman...
read moreMore Memorials
Professor Jane Carr
Professor Carr was received her martial arts black belt in 1964. She progressed steadily through the years, ultimately receiving the rank of Judan, 10th degree black belt, in 2015. She became the school head of the Redding Jujitsu Academy in 1965. Thousands of students came through her doors over the years, including multiple generations of families. Read more
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
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