George Pesare
BornSimeone George Pesare
(1939-02-18)February 18, 1939
Rhode Island United States Providence, Rhode Island
DiedOctober 14, 2012
Providence, RI
Cancer
ResidenceRhode Island
NationalityUnited States American
StyleKenpo/Kempo
Teacher(s)Victor “Sonny” Gascon, Joe Blacquerra, Bill Ryusaki, Jack Hwang
Rank  10th dan black belt Karazenpo Go Shinjutsu
  5th dan black belt in Judo
  4th dan black belt in Taekwondo
  4th dan black belt in Eskrima
  2nd dan black belt in Aikido
Notable studentsNick Cerio, Jean-Guy Angell

Simeone George Pesare (February 18, 1939 – October 14, 2012) was an American martial artist born in Providence, Rhode Island. He was a 10th-degree black belt (awarded by Victor Gascon) and had high-degree black belts in additional martial arts including judo, taewkondo, eskrima, and aikido. Pesare was a successful karate and judo competitor. He was a member of the New England Black Belt Hall of Fame.[1]

Overcoming a childhood spent in and out of Rhode Island's reform schools,[1] Pesare entered the military and emerged with training as a jet mechanic and an interest in martial arts.[1] In 1958 he moved to California, where he met Victor “Sonny” Gascon, a founder of Karazenpo Go Shinjutsu [2][3] and trained with his student Joe Blacquerra.[4]

Bringing Kenpo to New England and students

Pesare returned to Rhode Island in 1962 and in that same year opened the first Kenpo Karate school in New England.[5] Known for grueling training and three-day-long black belt tests,[6] Pesare soon gained a reputation and attracted many students. Among the few who completed his demanding curriculum were the influential martial artists Roger Carpenter, Nick Cerio, Linda Herzog, Armen Garo, Dr. Gilman Whiting, Marc Ayotte, Kurtis Parisi, Steve Nugent, and Donna L. Vinbury, the first woman to obtain a 10th –degree black belt in kenpo.[7] Although he did not grant their original black belts, Pesare trained and awarded high-degree black belts to well known martial artists Cecil Andrews II, Stephen A. Lombardi, Christine Bannon-Rodrigues,[8] Don Rodrigues,[9] Mark Sheeley, and Kathy and Joe Shuras.[10]

Pesare was the founder and long-time head of the International Kenpo Council of Grandmasters, which has the goal of preserving traditional Kenpo training and documenting its lineage.[11]

Senior Grand Master S. George Pesare died on October 14, 2012. His school, George Pesare's Kaito Gakko (School of Schools) in Providence, RI., continues to operate as the "Kenpo Karate Institute" a namesake for the original school and operated by senior Black Belts Dolores Bastone, Hubert Paquette, Marc Ayotte, and Michael Mullen.[12]

Marksmanship

George Pesare was a long-time law enforcement officer working with Rhode Island Sheriff's offices. An expert marksman, he was the 1994 Rhode Island State Police Pistol Champion and coordinator of the National Rifle Associations' Annual Police Pistol Regional Championships. Pesare was also the President and Rhode Island Match Director of the Rhode Island Police Pistol Combat League.[13]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Thomas R. Borden (May 1973). Pesare's Law of Survival. Active Interest Media, Inc. pp. 38–41. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  2. ↑ Kenpo Grandmasters homepage
  3. ↑ Karazenpo Go Shinjutsu Homepage
  4. ↑ George Pesare homepage
  5. ↑ Corcoran, John, Emil Farkas, Martial Arts Traditions, History, People, W.H. Smith, 1987, p. 245
  6. ↑ Black Belt Magazine, May 1977 p.20-23
  7. ↑ George Pesare homepage
  8. ↑ USA Dojo Black Belt Registry biography
  9. ↑ Donald Rodrigues Karate Academy
  10. ↑ Kenpo Net website
  11. ↑ International Kenpo Council of Grandmasters website
  12. ↑ "Welcome to George Pesare's Kaito Gakko". Archived from the original on 2011-10-08. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  13. ↑ Pistol refs
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