Master William Mason

A Cross Trained Martial Artist And A Member of The Karate Five Family

I first met Master Mason in the late 1970’s. That was about the time the Karate 
Five Dojo sponsored a tournament at Knoxville College. Grandmaster of Sanuces 
Ryu Moses Powell, as well as Grandmaster Harold Long attended the tournament. 
We all witnessed a very high level of respect exchanged between the two grandmasters.

Master Mason had been a friend of the Karate Five for over thirty years. He, along 
with the Karate Five membership, trained together in Sanuces Ryu and Vee JuiJitsu 
under Grandmaster Powell in the 1970’s. Who is William Mason? What do we know 
about him?

William Mason was born in 1942 in Morristown, Tennessee. After graduating from 
Morristown West High School he attended North Carolina Central College in Durham, 
NC. While in college, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He received his basic training 
at Fort Gordon, GA. In 1965 he was shipped to Okinawa where he served as a Communication 
Center Specialist for two years. It was in Okinawa where Master Mason started his 
Shorin-Ryu training under Grandmaster Zenryo Shimabuku. After a heavy dose of 
continuous training, and prior to returning home to the USA, he was awarded the rank 
of Sho-Dan.

Upon his return to Morristown he enrolled in Walters State Community College where 
he acquired a Computer Science Associate degree. 

Master Mason’s philosophy is that “as long as I live, there is more that I can learn”. He 
never believed that he, or any person, can “learn it all”. With that motto, he proceeded 
to expand his martial arts horizon. He sought knowledge and instruction from many masters.

A synopsis of his training and levels of accomplishments is as follows:
Ni-Dan-----1969---Shorin-Ryu, Grandmaster Zenyo Shimabuku.
Ni-Dan-----1978---Sanuces Ryu Jui Jitsu, Grandmaster Moses Powell.
Roku-Dan-1980---Sim Jeet Chon Do, Grandmaster Khensu Benu Ra.
Yo-Dan----1980---Cobra Taek, Grandmaster Khensu Benu Ra.
Yo-Dan----1981---Vee Jitsu Ju Jitsu, Grandmaster Florendo Visitacion.

In addition to the above list, Master Mason trained in Kaju Kempo for nine months under 
Grandmaster John McCurry in 1975. In 2004/5-time period (and in association with the 
Karate Five) started training in Modern Arnis under Grandmaster Jeff Delaney. In 2005 
Master Mason trained in, and was awarded a Basic Instructor Certificate in The Art of 
Breathing under Grandmaster Floyd Mims Sr.

Master Mason’s desire to grasp more knowledge did not stop with the above training. In 
2004, Master Mason requested that the Karate Five Association accept him as a support 
Master. The natural progression dictated that he become proficient in the art of Isshinryu. 
As such, for the last few months, he has been devoting many hours on a daily basis studying 
Isshinryu. He finds the similarity between Shorin-Ryu and Isshinryu very helpful in learning 
this new system.

Over some thirty years Master Mason operated a dojo in Morristown. He trained several 
hundred people and promoted no more than twenty to the rank of Black Belt. At the present 
he is preparing his black belts to serve as instructors for the opening of a dojo at a new site.  

After devoting a major part of his life to the martial arts, did William Mason contribute in 
other areas of the life cycle?

Yes he did. Professionally, Master Mason worked for BASF Corporation (a chemical product 
manufacturer) for 23 ½ years as a computer programmer. After retirement from BASF, he 
worked for Walters State Community College for 8 ½ years as a Network Technician. Having 
worked 3½ years in law enforcement ( Deputy Sheriff and City Policeman), and 2½  years  for 
NCR and Berkline Comporation, it is significant to note that during his 38 years of employment, 
Master Mason only missed 3 days. He credits the physical and mental disciplines of the martial 
arts in conditioning him to achieve such a remarkable work record.

Socially, Master Mason is a father and a grandfather. He and his lovely wife Naomi (Sho-Dan 
Shorin-Ryu) have one son Anthony who is a programmer for Bechtel Jacobs in Oak Ridge, TN. 
Anthony and his wife Cheryl are the parents of two girls.

Master Mason is the Webmaster for the Karate Five web page. In my time of association with 
him, I found  him to be a very knowledgeable and talented person. He displays a burning desire 
to be the best that he can be as a person and as a martial artist.

Respectfully,
Maurice Msarsa