Ed Parker’s Kenpo VS Modern Kung Fu

Ed Parker (March 19, 1931–December 15, 1990) was an American martial artist and teacher. He is perhaps most famous as the founder of American Kenpo.

Parker was born in Hawaii and raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He began his training in the martial arts at a young age in judo and later boxing. Some time in the 1940s, Ed Parker was first introduced to Kenpo by Frank Chow. After some time Frank Chow introduced Ed Parker to William K. S. Chow. Mr. Parker trained with William Chow, while serving in the Coast Guard and attending Brigham Young University. In 1953 that he was promoted to the rank of black belt by William K.S. Chow.

By 1956, Mr. Parker opened his Dojo in Pasadena, California. His first black belt student was Charles Beeder. The other black belts in chronological order up to 1962 were: James Ibrao, Rich Montgomery, Rick Flores, Al and Jim Tracy of Tracy Kenpo, Chuck Sullivan, John McSweeney, and Dave Hebler. In 1962 one of Mr. Parker’s black belts, John McSweeney, opened a school in Ireland, which enabled Mr. Parker to create the International Kenpo Karate Association.

Devin And Ed Parker

Devin Willis was raised in South Pasadena and Pasadena, California. a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mr.Willis’s Family and The Parker family have known each other for years, starting as a little boy and then gowing into a man. He knew Mr Parker , simply as Brother Parker and had the fortune of discussing the martial arts and self defense. Mr Willis knew Ed Parker Jr and Sister Parker and loved the family.

One of the reasons I had to leave Devin because of his religion of Mormonism, His Instructor Don Neal was a Lay Pastor and my current instructor is also a Christian(what is a Christian?.)

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