Monday, November 29, 1999

Tony Ramos,
martial arts
Grand Master, dies

Star-Bulletin staff

Antonio A. "Tony" Ramos, a native Hawaiian who gained international fame for his martial arts skills, died recently at his Wahiawa home. He was 69.

Ramos, a 10th degree Grand Master in Kajukenbo, trained thousands of students and worked with the legendary Bruce Lee.

Kajukenbo, founded in Hawaii in 1947, combines several other disciplines -- Karate, Judo, Ju-Jitsu, Kempo, Gung-Fu and Chinese boxing.

Ramos took it up in 1948. In 1960, he moved to the Los Angeles area and founded his first school. He opened the Tony Ramos Kajukenbo Karate and Gung-Fu School in Fairfield, Calif., in 1962 and headed it for 25 years before retiring and returning to Hawaii.

Ramos is survived by wife Connie, sons Anthony, Chris, Lester and Conrad, daughters Leah and Arnessa, 15 grand children and three great grand children.