Cecil T. Patterson, Hachidan
Cecil T.
Patterson was born June 23, 1930 in Sevierville, Tennessee and became
interested in self-defense when he attended a law enforcement training school
taught by the FBI. Mr. Patterson joined the Navy in 1952, and while stationed
in Iwakuni in 1955, he began training in Wado under Master Kazuo Sakura,
Go-Dan. He trained 15 hours per week for 2 years, earning the rank of Ni-dan.
Mr. Patterson received his San-dan in 1959, Yon-dan in 1964. On December 1st,
1968, he was awarded his Go-dan, then the highest rank in the Wado system, by
Grandmaster Hironori Otsuka. He is currently ranked Hachi-dan and is the
highest ranking occidental in the Wado system.
In 1968, Mr. Patterson was instructed by Master Otsuka to establish the U.S.
Eastern Wado-Kai Federation, now known as the U.S. Eastern Wado-Ryu Karate-do
Federation. As president and chief instructor of this organization, Mr.
Patterson is responsible to Master Otsuka for all Wado dojos in the eastern
United States.
The first Wado dojo established in the eastern US, a private club, was opened in
1957 in Sevierville, TN, with the first public school opening in 1961 in
Nashville, TN. There are currently Wado-ryu dojos in Tennessee, New York,
Illinois, Indiana, Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, and Alabama.
Mr. Patterson served as State Representative, Regional Director, for the United
States Karate Association, and also on the Research Board of the USKA. He was
named the Father of Karate for the state of Tennessee by the 19th General
Assembly of the state of Tennessee on February 1st, 1978. In 1988, Mr.
Patterson was one of only 16 people to receive the prestigious Master Otsuka
Award at the World Wado-Ryu Karate Championships in Tokyo.
Mr. Patterson resided in Nashville, TN after retiring as Chief Criminal Arson
Investigator for the state of Tennessee until his death on 10/27/2002 after a
47 year involvement with Wado.