Sensei William “Roe” Carter
William Monroe Carter is a 7th Dan who has been on the U. S. Eastern Wado Ryu Board of Directors since 1998. He has been practicing karate for 50 years in his hometown of Lewisburg, TN.
Mr. Roe Carter grew up in Lewisburg. After attending Marshall County High School and MTSU and settling in the community, he became a member of a local Wado Ryu class taught by Ray Cross and Don Hendrix. At that time, they were 4th Kyus who were allowed to teach classes under the leadership of Jerry Potts, Ni Dan, of Columbia. Eventually Mr. Cross and Mr. Hendrix became black belts and ran the school as a karate club with membership dues only. As an ardent student, Roe Carter became friends with his instructors. Several years later in 1983, when Don Hendrix moved to Athens, Alabama and Ray Cross retired as a 4th Dan, Mr. Carter took over the school as a Ni Dan.
While visiting Don Hendrix’s school in Athens and serving as a guest instructor that spring, he met and married one of Mr. Hendrix’s students. Jenny Thompson was working as a news anchor in Huntsville and attending class with Mr. Hendrix in Athens. After their marriage, she earned her blackbelt and was an instructor in the Lewisburg Wado Ryu for over 30 years. She retired as a 6th Dan.
The Carters have two children. Maria Carter graduated with a degree in chemistry from the University of North Alabama and later earned a Doctorate in Pharmacy at Auburn University. She works as a pharmacist in Chattanooga. Bill Carter is a San Dan in Wado Ryu karate. He graduated from Auburn University with a degree in computer science. He earned a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from The University of Alabama Huntsville and works as a Software Engineer in Huntsville.
Mr. Carter has always loved the fitness, mental discipline, and art of karate, but he also feels that friendships with an ever-widening circle of black belts and students are one of the most satisfying aspects of being a teacher. The experience of attending and judging tournaments and administering the black belt exams has been rewarding as well. Mr. Carter looks forward to each and every exam because he knows the students are the future of Wado Ryu.
Mr. Carter has received many awards through the years including The Grand Master H Ohtsuka Award in 2004, Single Dojo of the Year in 2019 and 2022, and the U.S Eastern Wado Ryu Federation Hall of Fame in 2024. Attending seminars with many senior instructors in Wado Ryu over the years has also been a great honor. Those instructors include Master Hironori Ohtsuka II, Master Hironori Ohtsuka III, Sensei John Patterson, Sensei Bill Taylor, and many others. Mr. Carter says that he especially treasures the privilege of knowing and working out under Sensei Cecil T. Patterson, who was his friend and mentor for 27 years.