Hanshi Lou DeAdder - Biography

The following biography was created as a result of a questionnaire from Soshu Lee E. Dawson requesting a bio on all Seishin Ryu and S.R.M.A.A. officials.

Instructor Biography

2. Rank:  Hachidan (8th degree black belt)

3. Instructors studied with:

Soshu Lee Dawson
Sensei Carlos Garcia
Sensei David Manara
Sensei Ray Hayes
Soke John Cozatt

4. Styles you have studied:

Kempo Karate
Wado-Kai Karate
Kazoku Kai Karate - The Association of Family
Renzoku Jiu Jutsu

5. Where you were born (city/province/country):  Brampton, Ontario, Canada

6. Significant events in your life: (which you may consider good or bad, but changed you for the better):

Death of my wife Gail - completely and totally tragic
Cub Scouts, Navy League Cadets, Altar Boy
Paper Routes (3) as a young boy
Obtaining Grade 12 education
Attending and graduating College
Working as a systems programmer for over 6 years
Deaths of my Mother and Father
Starting in the martial arts
Obtaining the rank of Shodan
Getting married
Birth of my 2 children
Birth of my grandkids
Operating the F.K.S.A. and being affiliated with S.R.M.A.A.
Buying my first car - 1974 Plymouth Duster (I loved that car!!!)
Playing Guitar since age 12
Buying our first house
All the lousy jobs I held just to get by as a full time musician (apple picking, furniture moving, factory jobs, construction, painter etc.)

7. People who motivated you, or helped you arrive at this point in your life (now):

Mother
Father
Gail - wife
Children (Chris - Kim)
Grandkids
Brothers (Dave - Tim - Steve - Mike)
Sensei Carlos Garcia
Soshu Lee E. Dawson
In -Laws (Dolly and George Goddard)
Hank Monis - guitar teacher
Paul Rhynold
All the good friends I've had throughout my life

8. Obstacles you had to over come: (medical, physical, mental, etc.)

A.  At 25 years old I was married with our first child - I decided to go back to school (3 year College course) to increase my knowledge and skills to provide for my family. At the same time I played in a local part-time band (6 nights per week - 2 weeks per month - we played weekends on the other weeks). I also started an Aluminum Siding company while in school to operate during the summer employing students from College and my brothers (special thanks to Steve Sporina and Paul Holiday for showing me the business). My 2nd child was born half-way through College. I was 6-8 years older than everyone else in class!!

B.  I did what I had to do to get by. One job that comes to mind (there were many) was Apple Picking. I was 40 years old out in an orchard 6 days per week for 2 months earning $6.00 per hour ($4.00 U.S.). It was one of the most physically demanding jobs I have ever had.

C.  I spent 12 years playing music in the clubs as a single - that meant sitting on a stool playing bass pedals with my feet, using a drum machine, playing guitar and singing - all at once (I went to MIDI equipment after awhile). This was a major change - I was on stage by myself with no other band members to rely on. My father came down to a job I was playing in Toronto and told me I was doing alright up there by myself (my parents always supported my musical ambitions - it is very important to support each other). He was very ill with a cold - it would hit him harder than most because he lost a lung in the war. He died 5 days later (that was in 1984)!! I always made it a point to tell him I loved him - even as an adult. Make sure you tell those close to you that you love them - that way you will never have that devastating regret of never having done so when they are gone.

D.  Leaving the Wado-Kai organization was a major decision in my life. I went through an incredible self re-evaluation. There were those who thought my decision to leave was 100% correct and those that thought (and still do I'm sure)  that it was complete lunacy (to the point of a fair amount of back stabbing - nothing personal just business - or so they tell me). What you have to do is stick to your guns and do what you feel is right for you. It's all part of moving on in life - it has worked out well.

9. Family, Friends, Instructors, etc. who are important at this time in your life:

All those in my family
All members of the Family Karate Schools Association
Soshu Dawson and all those in S.R.M.A.A.

10. Why you are studying  your present style:

You hear many opinions about this style and that style being the best - I do what I do because I enjoy it. I believe our style to be very practical while at the same time very traditional.

11. What you have learned from studying the martial arts:

This is an enormous question:

-to name a few-

Patience, Self-motivation and how to motivate others, Humility, Respect, Perseverance, Discipline, Balance, Agility, Co-ordination, Listening skills, How to become and remain flexible....

12. Philosophy you live by:

One of my favourite sayings is that 'Nothing Stays The Same Forever.' If things are not exactly the
way you would like them to be in your life, work towards changing them!!

13. Advice which may help others in life, and with their study of the martial arts:

Be true to yourself and others
Never give up on your goals - if you tell yourself you can't do it you're probably right
Compare yourself with no one but yourself
Family and friends are precious and should be treated as such
Practice your Kata - always - with everything you have - physically, mentally and spiritually