Terry Dobson
Encyclopedia
Terry Dobson birthname Walter Norton Dobson III (1937-1992) was an American
aikido
pioneer, aikido teacher and writer. Dobson is one of the Western
aikido practitioners who studied directly under the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba
.
in 1940, Terry had a tumultuous childhood. Raised by his alcoholic
mother and stepfather, he did not meet his real father, who had been disgraced after it was discovered that he forged his degree to get into Harvard Business School
, until his late teens.
Terry went to the Buckley School and then Deerfield Academy
, both prestigious private school
s, where he excelled at American football
. After receiving a scholarship to play at Franklin & Marshall, he quickly failed out and trained for a summer with the New York Football Giants under Vince Lombardi
, the line coach at the time. He was a U.S. Marine doing helicopter
maintenance during the Lebanon crisis of 1958
, and attended New York University
for a brief period. In 1959 he went to Japan
to assist in rural development
and teach English.
, Dobson witnessed a demonstration of what was then the little known martial art aikido on an American military base
in Yokohama
. He instantly fell in love with the art and six months later entered the Aikikai Hombu Dojo as an uchi-deshi
(live-in student), and trained as uchi-deshi until his marriage in 1964. He was one of only two non-Japanese to enjoy this privilege during that early era, the other being André Nocquet
. He continued to train at the Hombu Dojo until Ueshiba's death in 1969.
. In 1979 he moved to San Francisco, California
and became involved with Robert Bly
and his Mythopoetic men's movement, still teaching aikido as a visiting sensei
.
and moved to Vermont to recover. His teaching trailed off and eventually stopped as he became weaker and weaker. After a change in medication his health improved and he started teaching again in Vermont. Though not fully healthy, he flew to California
to give a Men's Conference and teach aikido in 1992. After teaching a class in San Francisco, he fell into a coma
. On August 2, 1992, he died in an ambulance in Inverness, California
of a heart attack. Dobson is survived by his son Daniel, daughter Marion, and partner Riki Moss.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
aikido
Aikido
is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
pioneer, aikido teacher and writer. Dobson is one of the Western
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
aikido practitioners who studied directly under the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba
Morihei Ueshiba
was a famous martial artist and founder of the Japanese martial art of aikido. He is often referred to as "the founder" or , "Great Teacher".-Early years:Morihei Ueshiba was born in Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan on December 14, 1883....
.
Early life
Born in Cambridge, Mass. to a wealthy family on June 9, 1937 and moving to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1940, Terry had a tumultuous childhood. Raised by his alcoholic
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
mother and stepfather, he did not meet his real father, who had been disgraced after it was discovered that he forged his degree to get into Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
, until his late teens.
Terry went to the Buckley School and then Deerfield Academy
Deerfield Academy
Deerfield Academy is an independent, coeducational boarding school in Deerfield, Massachusetts, United States. It is a four-year college-preparatory school with approximately 600 students and about 100 faculty, all of whom live on or near campus....
, both prestigious private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
s, where he excelled at American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. After receiving a scholarship to play at Franklin & Marshall, he quickly failed out and trained for a summer with the New York Football Giants under Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
, the line coach at the time. He was a U.S. Marine doing helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
maintenance during the Lebanon crisis of 1958
Lebanon crisis of 1958
The 1958 Lebanon crisis was a Lebanese political crisis caused by political and religious tensions in the country. It included a U.S. military intervention.-Background:...
, and attended New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
for a brief period. In 1959 he went to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to assist in rural development
Rural development
Rural development in general denotes economic development and community development actions and initiatives taken to improve the standard of living in non-urban neighbourhoods, remote villages and the countryside...
and teach English.
Discovering aikido
During a visit to TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Dobson witnessed a demonstration of what was then the little known martial art aikido on an American military base
United States Forces Japan
The refers to the various divisions of the United States Armed Forces that are stationed in Japan. Under the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, the United States is obliged to defend Japan in close cooperation with the Japan Self-Defense Forces for...
in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
. He instantly fell in love with the art and six months later entered the Aikikai Hombu Dojo as an uchi-deshi
Uchi-deshi
Uchi-deshi is a Japanese term for a live-in student/apprentice who trains under and assists a sensei on a full-time basis...
(live-in student), and trained as uchi-deshi until his marriage in 1964. He was one of only two non-Japanese to enjoy this privilege during that early era, the other being André Nocquet
André Nocquet
André Nocquet was a French aikido teacher holding the rank of 8th dan. He was one of the very earliest non-Japanese to practice the art.-Early life:...
. He continued to train at the Hombu Dojo until Ueshiba's death in 1969.
Spreading Aikido to the U.S.
In 1970 Dobson returned to the U.S. where he gave seminars around the country and with Ken Nisson co-founded Bond Street Dojo in New York City and Vermont Aikido in Burlington, VermontBurlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
. In 1979 he moved to San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
and became involved with Robert Bly
Robert Bly
Robert Bly is an American poet, author, activist and leader of the Mythopoetic Men's Movement.-Life:Bly was born in Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota, to Jacob and Alice Bly, who were of Norwegian ancestry. Following graduation from high school in 1944, he enlisted in the United States Navy, serving...
and his Mythopoetic men's movement, still teaching aikido as a visiting sensei
Sensei
' is a Japanese word that basically means "person born before another." In general usage, it means "master" or "teacher," and the word is used as a title to refer to or address teachers, professors, professionals such as lawyers, CPA and doctors, politicians, clergymen, and other figures of authority...
.
Death
In 1984 he became ill with what was misdiagnosed as sarcoidosisSarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis , also called sarcoid, Besnier-Boeck disease or Besnier-Boeck-Schaumann disease, is a disease in which abnormal collections of chronic inflammatory cells form as nodules in multiple organs. The cause of sarcoidosis is unknown...
and moved to Vermont to recover. His teaching trailed off and eventually stopped as he became weaker and weaker. After a change in medication his health improved and he started teaching again in Vermont. Though not fully healthy, he flew to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to give a Men's Conference and teach aikido in 1992. After teaching a class in San Francisco, he fell into a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
. On August 2, 1992, he died in an ambulance in Inverness, California
Inverness, California
Inverness is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located in western Marin County, California. Inverness is located on the southwest shore of Tomales Bay northwest of Point Reyes Station, at an elevation of 43 feet . In the 2010 census, the population was 1,304...
of a heart attack. Dobson is survived by his son Daniel, daughter Marion, and partner Riki Moss.