SENSEI
Those who made the road before
Doug Noxon
Isshinryu lineage: Tatsuo Shimabukuro → Don Nagle → Doug Noxon
Doug Noxon was born in 1929, and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean war. After discharge, he took up competitive weight-lifting and managed to attain several state records for his weight class in Illinois. Subsequently, he took up the study of Judo, then Kempo, in the Chicago area, earning a Brown Belt in both arts.
Upon meeting Sensei James Chapman, a student of Master Don Nagle, he began his studies in Isshinryu. After obtaining his dan grade, he moved to Detroit and combined forces with Sensei Ken Pittaway around 1963. Together they founded the first Isshin- ryu dojo in Michigan, the Academy of Martial Arts. Shortly thereafter, they opened a second dojo in Inkster, Michigan, about 10 miles west of Detroit. The Inkster site became Sensei Noxon's home dojo. His top student was Master Willie Adams.
Sensei Noxon's life ended tragically in an auto accident on April 27, 1971. Sensei Noxon was married and left four children, one of whom, Terry Noxon-Tutor, has followed in her father's footsteps and holds a Black Belt in Isshinryu.