To all of Duke's followers:

No matter how inevitable, when the event of passing finally occurs, it is nevertheless a shock and a trauma to all. To those of you that knew Duke personally as I did over the past 43 years, this event is very sad and painful. Duke started me in the martial arts, guided me and taught me the true meaning of "do" (the philosophical way). He is part of who I am today and I can never forget him anymore than I could forget myself. I will miss him dearly.

To those of you that knew Duke only through his teachings, his methods, or even just his picture on the Kamiza, you have lost a great mentor and leader. Still, his name and the system he has so graciously passed on to us will persist and guide us in the future. Think of the knowledge which Duke has offered to you, as contained in an egg. Fragile in the beginning but full of "life", it is given to each of you, to be cared for and protected, nurtured and matured, until it spontaneously bursts open and reveals the contents of your own Satori (enlightenment), in your individual and personal way.

To all practitioners of the martial arts, we have lost a pioneer. Duke was teaching and openly spreading the philosophy at a time when "martial arts" was a secret dirty word. Dojo's were hidden and new students were brought in only by the personal endorsement of a current member. You couldn't "walk in off the street" or for that matter, even find a dojo unless you happened to "know somebody". Duke was a leader in opening the arts to the world. He started, or was involved with, many martial arts organizations including ATAMA, the AAU, the AJJF, the IJF, and others. His friends and associates included martial arts monuments such as Ray Law, Wally Jay, Richard "Biggi" Kim, Mits Kimura, Willy Cahill, George Yoshida, Bud Estes, Walter Todd, and Mas Oyama (in no particular order) just to name a few. The martial arts world has cause to be very saddened today.

I propose that February 25th be a day of remembrance in all dojo's, at least in the Duke Moore's Budokai system, to be honored by some ceremony of the sensei's choosing.

THE EGG HAS BEEN PASSED.

Jerry Kunzman, Hachidan
Professor of Martial Arts