Passing of Charles Earle...

[gmattson]

I received this email this morning from one of Charles' senior students:

Hello Sensei,

I am very sorry to report that Charlie passed away on Saturday at 1pm. The wake is on Wednesday and the funeral Thursday. The wake is 4-8pm at the Winfield Funeral Home at 571 W. Greenville Rd. in North Scituate, RI.
Funeral is the following day, though the exact details need to be confirmed Monday.

Craig Healy

I've known about Charles' fight with cancer for some time now, being notified regarding his condition from some of his close friends and students. I was asked by his family to keep the information private and that at some point the family would issue a public statement.

I've received a number of messages yesterday and today, including a very nice tribute from Windsong Blake and Robert Campbell, so I assume most of the Uechi world is now aware of Charles' passing.

Charles was one of my first students, joining shortly after I moved into my first facility dedicated exclusively to teaching Uechi-ryu in the 60s. He will be missed by the Uechi community.

George E. Mattson

From Windsong Blake:

I had not known about Charlie passing until the news came from Bob Campbell in an email. I was extremely surprised that I did not hear of his illness before this time. I will say that brother Charles was a good friend of mine, and I had trained under him for several years in the early 70s, in his Providence dojo. I met many good people at his school and never forgot the intensive training I received in Kendo from a priest that visited his dojo from Japan. Memories of that time will never be forgotten.

Earle Sensei was always polite and had a smile for everyone. His dojo was the most organized training hall I had ever been a member of, and had a deeply spiritual aura about it. We will miss yet another strong master practitioner in the Uechi world. I send my and Tracy's condolences to the Earle family and I ask the Great Spirit to comfort and guide him on his spiritual journey home.

Wuniish,

Windsong Sensei

From Robert Campbell:

It was with sincere regret to learn that Charles has passed away after a long illness.

In my youth, I would travel down to Charles, Uechi Ryu Karate School, along with George, Van, Art and Jimmy and there I found all the magic and mystique we have all come to love in our study of Uechi Ryu Karate.

From my Uechi Family and all my students and friends who knew Earle Sensei, we bid him a fond farewell but shall never forget he was one of the original first students of Mattson Sensei, a Pioneer in the study of Uechi Ryu and his passing is a loss to us All.

Respectfully, Strength and Honor

Bob Campbell

Student for Life
Uechi Ryu Karate Do
Hong Kong - SAR
People's Republic of China

[Bill Glasheen]

I can understand how someone would want to keep the suffering from a terminal illness private. It is a personal decision. Everyone deserves the dignified journey of their choice.

I first met Mr. Earle in 1979 when NAUKA was being formed. He was many things to many people. He lived a rich and eventful life.

I'll never forget that I owe him for my friendships with Mr. Raffi Derderian, Mr. Mark Brelsford, and Mr. Bob Galeone. In my view, a person's legacy is a good part of their life eternal. When we see the divergent paths that just these three gentlemen took after first studying with him, it says something about the energy that Charles had going on in Providence.

Sleep well, Mr. Earle. The world will carry your legacy on.

- Bill

[SAN-DAI-RYU]

We are deeply sorry about lost of Mr. Charles Earle. Although we did not have the pleasure to know him.
From Argentina we send you our respects to his relatives, friends and students.
The lost of a pioneer represents a great loss for the Uechi-ryu World.

Respectfully.
Carlos Ciriza Sensei
Uechi Ryu Argentina

[Van Canna]

A shock to learn of his passing.

Charlie was
a Uechi icon of our youth and pioneering days. Us all being together at the first world karate championship, in Chicago, is a memory I cherish.

I recall fondly Charlie giving me a ride to the airport in his corvette on the way back to Boston.

It was a time of wonderment, dreams of infinite life_ and a forging of friendships to last _ despite differences and roads traveled.

Life is but a short look out the window. May you rest in peace, Charlie.

[Raffi Derderian]

To see anyone in the martial arts go out the way Charlie did is truly sad. One of the senior students in the school has been keeping me informed of his condititon for a while now.
Charlie was my first martial arts teacher in 1973. I have many fond memories of my days at the Providence dojo with Mark Brelsford and many others as well. Many friends were made in that school. Over the years we have all agreed that if Charlie hadn't opened that dojo, our lives would have all taken a different path. For that, we owe him a debt hard to repay.
Charlie was responsible for much in the Uechi world. The most significant to me are the famous videos of Kanei Uechi performing kata and other Uechi exercises. For anyone who didn't know it, he was the one who filmed them. Thanks to him, we have them to enjoy forever.
Rest in Peace Charlie.
Raffi

[KerryM]

It is not his end or passing that I'll remember. It is how incredibly kind he was to my husband and I. Master Earle always treated both of us with so much respect, despite and no matter what.

He will always hold a place of honor in my book.

Blessed Be to you Master Earle- You'll be so missed.

Kerry Morgan