# Robert Halliburton



## Big Don

Fresno (CA) Bee Obit
 			 				 On Wednesday, April 16, 2008, Mr. Robert Halliburton, known as Sensei to many, passed away after a battle with cancer. His last moments were spent in his home, surrounded by loving students and friends, and holding the hands of his daughters, Donna and Alyson. Robert Halliburton was born August 14, 1944, in Houston, Texas. He attended Sam Houston High School, where he excelled in football. After high school, Robert enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving in the Special Forces. Upon returning to Houston, Mr. Halliburton joined Japan Ways School of Self Defense. He began his martial arts training on May 14, 1964, as a student of Sensei Jim Arwood and Shihan Tomosoburo Okano. Before he'd earned his black belt from Sensei Arwood, Mr. Halliburton began teaching classes for Mr. Arwood and quickly discovered his true calling as a martial arts instructor. Over the years, Mr. Halliburton trained with and befriended some of the greatest martial artists of our time. In 1993, he obtained the internationally recognized rank of 5th dan from Shihan Hirokazu Kanazawa. Sensei Halliburton was a member of Shotokan Karate International and served as its General Secretary in the United States for several years. By the time of his death, Mr. Halliburton had attained the rank of 7th dan in Shotokan Karate. As a brown belt, Mr. Halliburton began entering karate tournaments, quickly becoming a rising star on the fiercely competitive Texas martial arts scene. Throughout his competitive career, Mr. Halliburton competed against some of the top martial artists of all time, and he earned many distinctions: he is a former regional, national, and international champion; he was rated among the top ten fighters in the United States in 1970, 1971, and 1972; he was a member of Ed Parker's 1968 US vs. Korea and 1969 US vs. Hawaii and East Coast vs. West Coast Fighting Teams. In 1966, he was Grand Champion of the Texas State Karate Championships, and in 1971, Mr. Halliburton became the Heavyweight Champion of Ed Parker's prestigious International Karate Championships. As a martial arts competitor, Mr. Halliburton was selected to serve on competitive teams with karate notables Joe Lewis, Chuck Norris, Ron Marchini, and Skipper Mullins, among others. In 1965, Mr. Halliburton came to Fresno, California, to teach at the newly opened Way of Japan Karate School on Belmont Avenue. By 1967, he, and his wife, Faye Justice Halliburton, owned the school. Over the next 42 years, Way of Japan would expand, boasting locations in Fresno at Cedar and Fountain Way, at Marks and Bullard, at Shields and West, and at Marks and Herndon. Additionally, Way of Japan expanded the karate market in the Central Valley with locations in Merced and Bakersfield, and studentrun satellite clubs in San Luis Obispo, Auberry, and Los Osos.


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## exile

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## terryl965

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## arnisador

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## IcemanSK

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## pstarr

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## kidswarrior

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## OnlyAnEgg

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## grydth

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