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Tribute to the Great Master Dionne
It was with extreme sadness that I announced that
Master Jacques Dionne
“Tadanobu Matsumoto Dionne” - 58 - of Ottawa was suddenly taken from us on
Thursday, January 8, 2004. Jacques was my best friend, my mentor, my
confidant, my voice of reason, the man who kept my head straight. He was the Grandmaster of Kyushu-Ryu
Ju-Jitsu and held a seventh degree black belt in this combat form. He started
his love of the martial arts at age five and was handed the system in 1975
upon the death of his instructor the late Tadanori Matsumoto. Master Dionne
taught throughout North America but dearly loved to come to Nova Scotia to share
his knowledge openly with other martial artists and devoted much energy
toward the Kyushu-Ryu Ju-Jitsu club in Dartmouth, kicking my butt
at every opportunity.
Jacques was the creator of Rape
Self Awareness Defence (RSAD), a self defence system for women, The Tactical
Academy of Controlling Techniques, a court defensible self defence system
for law enforcement and lectured and taught frequently on martial arts
topics, combat and history.
He will be deeply missed by wife
Brenda, his two children Todd and Robyn, the entire Kyushu-Ryu family and the
martial arts community at large.
I was blessed to be able to give tribute to my friend by writing and
giving his eulogy.
The following is an excerpt of the last paragraph of
my eulogy.
"My friend, I will miss our daily emails
and discussions on the path of Kyushu Ryu and the martial arts as a
whole. You were larger than life itself and more than a father to me. On
the pond of life there are those who leave ripples around the edges, you
however, stirred the pond touching and changing the lives of
people in a positive manner, many of whom you have never even met. If
"The true essence of a man is not what he has, but what he does"
then you are the largest, and wealthiest man I know. Thank you for your support and
friendship over the years, I will always honour you and never forget you.
Frank Zinck
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