Bio - Maria Warwick
Once every couple generations, a person appears that positively impacts the lives of all those they come into contact with. From the late-sixties to the mid-eighties, Maria Warwick was that person. Moving from the San Francisco area to Washington State in 1969, Maria and her late husband Rick brought Shaolin Kenpo to the small town of Aberdeen, Washington.
Initially teaching from a small floor space on "H" Street that held no more than 12-16 students, Rick and Maria produced eight known Black Belts together prior to 1975.
John Delia, who eventually became Captain of Investigations in Aberdeen, Washington, Wayne Toy, whose life travels led him into nursing where he was an Emergency Room RN at Community Hospital, Robb Ronald, John Stead, Dick Landberg, a college art professor, and David Wigent.
During these years, Ray and Joe Warwick also received Black Belts from their parents, but the exact year of their promotions is unknown at this time. Page will be updated as this information becomes available. It is believed that they were promoted in 1975.
In 1973, classes began in the basement of the Weir theatre. While the floor space was significantly larger than their first venue, the ambience of the building left much to be desired. With the influx of students, Aberdeen Kenpo Karate required a new training space.
It should also be noted at this time, that Maria Warwick was the Chief Instructor at Aberdeen Kenpo Karate. Unusual not only for the times that Maria was the sole proprietor, but also that she was one of the first women in the country to teach Martial Arts!
Two of her students, Mike Skinner Sr. and Barry "Bodie" Alexander began seeking a new space for training and found a suitable space less than a block from the Weir Theatre on "H" Street in Aberdeen. The space had been a dry cleaner that had gone out of business. Mike and Barry removed all the equipment and got to work.
The new space on "H" Street was created by Mike Skinner Sr. and Barry Alexander as a labor of love for their instructor. Two dressing rooms, a restroom, and ample floor space were all that was needed to change many lives over the course of the next several years. The studio opened in 1976 and operated until 1983 at the same location. Maria retired for medical reasons in 1983, but not before producing a significant amount of Black Belt students, many of whom continue to practice Shaolin Kenpo to this day. It has been learned that she did teach for a short period of time in Puyallup, Washington between 1986-1988.
During this time, there was minimal contact between Aberdeen Kenpo Karate and Ralph Castro's Shaolin Kenpo. In 1981, the International Shaolin Kenpo Association was formed. This writer remembers only one time between 1976-1982 where Grandmaster Ralph Castro visited Aberdeen, Washington to look in on his students.
Maria moved to Puyallup to be closer to quality medical care and resided there until the mid-nineties. During these years, Mike Skinner Sr. would visit his friend and mentor a couple times per year. In 1992, Mike Skinner Sr. requested and received permission from Maria Warwick to open a school using the Aberdeen Kenpo Karate name. This school opened in September of 1992.
In late 1993, Maria would reconnect with the International Shaolin Kenpo Association at the request of John Kraft, a Black Belt student of Mike Skinner Sr. In 1995, plans would be made to put on a seminar at the Nordic Inn. Students from Aberdeen Kenpo and John's and Sue's new school Pacific Shaolin Kenpo attended.
During the course of the visit from the International Shaolin Kenpo Association, Maria Warwick was recognized as the Northwest Representative of the ISKA and was promoted to 5th Degree Black Belt. John Kraft and Sue Messenger, who had approximately 4 years of recent training time between them, were recognized as 3rd Degree Black Belts as owners of Pacific Shaolin Kenpo. It should be noted, however, that Sue Messenger was there until the end when Maria Warwick began having medical issues that would force her retirement from teaching. Adam Lin also received his 3rd Degree Black Belt at this time from the ISKA.
Mike Skinner Sr. was also offered a promotion to 3rd Degree Black Belt by the ISKA but declined as he was a primary instructor for both John Kraft and Sue Messenger and the recognition would have placed him behind two individuals who were his students. Mike Skinner Sr. in 1995 had been teaching in some capacity in Grays Harbor since receiving his Black Belt in May of 1977.
Maria Warwick moved back to Grays Harbor County and would assist in the instruction at Pacific Shaolin Kenpo until taking full control of the school from John Kraft in approximately 1998. She would briefly change the name of the school to Aberdeen Shaolin Kenpo Karate. The school would close its doors at its location on east Market Street in 2000.
Sadly, it has been learned that Maria Warwick passed in 2016. The one opponent none of us can overcome is time.
Maria left an indelible mark on the Martial Arts scene in Washington State and was a tireless advocate for Shaolin Kenpo in the area. All Shaolin Kenpo practitioners owe you an enormous debt of gratitude. Thank you for all that you gave to us!
