Vinnie Menonna left us, his students and friends, on Monday, August 2nd.
Vinnie was one of my first karate instructors at the Yoshitsune Dojo in Closter New Jersey in the summer of 1979 (at the time I was far too tough to bother with Ju Jitsu). He had moved to nearby Cresskill NJ from “Da Bronx” where he was a Godan in Shotokan Karate. Vinnie gravitated quite naturally to teaching Karate for Big Mike DePascuale on Monday nights, and Big Mike loved Vinnie. Big Mike loved all things rigorous, and tough, and no-nonsense, and “old school.” And Vinnie was all of those things on steroids. I wished to become “tough” and so I appreciated the amount of conditioning and knuckle pushups that were part of the class. I mostly avoided getting too “roughed up” by Vinnie in those early classes; not everyone did. He did not suffer poorly disciplined students easily.
I wrote in the Shinbun once that Vinnie would have us do “monkey drills” until we puked. I wrote that later, when I became an instructor myself, I would show up early, set up the mats before everyone showed up, and in the quiet time, did monkey drills up and down the mats.
Vinnie was an established, settled, senior black belt instructor, razor sharp and tough as nails, trained in a demanding and exclusive ryu. And yet, not long after I transitioned to Doc Cohe’s Wednesday night Ju Jitsu classes, Vinnie was spotted over there as well. At first, just paying a polite visit. As time went on, he stayed for the whole class. He was shocked to find that Byrd (Mrs. Cohe to us) was originally a Bronx girl and that Doc has courted her very close to the neighborhoods he knew. Then he started making the trip down the stairs to the TAAZ bar more regularly after Wednesday class. Six years later, when I returned from my own years in the U.S. Navy, Vinnie was a full-on Doc Cohe blackbelt, formally promoted to Nidan, prepping for Sandan. And like many of us, he never left.
The story of Vinnie is the story of personal evolution. He came in as an established, credentialed Shotokan fifth degree black belt and “tough guy.” But he evolved. And throughout the “Edgewater” years, he continued to evolve into something more sophisticated, more approachable, softer, and more elegant. I know that Doc Cohe even modified some of his core 38 with input from Vinnie (kata 9 comes to mind). I like to think that Vinnie evolved into a Tsugiashi-do “Elder Statesman.”
As with Perry Georgison, Vinnie was a sitting blackbelt judge at each of my 4 blackbelt demonstrations.
And I will always be very grateful.
A couple of years ago, Mike Wilson corralled some of us up to Vinnie’s home for a visit. Mike and Ronnie rode their Harley Davidsons, I drove my Volvo SUV (yeah, I’m that guy). After a delightful lunch and bs session, a scrapbook was produced, and I learned about Vinnie before he was terrifying his karate students in the late 1970s. Vinnie had been in the U.S. Army in the post-Korea/Cold War period of the late 50’s/early 60’s. During this non-combat period, promotion and accolades were given by demonstrating combat skills in training and performing physical training feats, and Vinnie had plenty of these as well. We all leafed through the black and white scrap books of training exercises, marksmanship contests, boxing smokers and PT tests. Vinnie rose quickly through the enlisted ranks. In the 35 years that I had known him, he had never once mentioned his Army career. That would not have been Old School.
Vinnie is one of those sensei’s that has such an impact, and such a profound and continuing presence, that one can say, “When I am on the mat, he is on the mat with me.”
Goodbye, Sensei. We will miss you.
Faithfully,
Scot Lynch
Yondan, Tsugiashi-Do
There is a memorial for Vinnie tomorrow, August 5th, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Vander Plaat Funeral Home
257 Godwin Avenue
Wyckoff, NJ 07481
August 5, 2021
Thank you for the nice comments he will be missed by his family
August 5, 2021
Only a person from the Da BRONX knows a BRONXITE. I knew Vinnie was one. He not only was a good friend a good martial artist, but a Vetrean as well. It takes one to know one. I miss him dearly. I could not go to see him during CoVid while he was in rehab. He always had that strong air about him with humor and focus. He once said to me ” KIDDO I WOULD GO TO WAR WITH YOU IF YOU NEEDED TOO”. I was surprised and HORNORED by his comment. I knew what he meant by that, I was very humbled. Miss I will, miss him I am…..Oss
August 6, 2021
Growing up as part of the Tsugiashi do family, Vinnie was like an uncle to me. He was a very strong and powerful man but also a huge teddy bear. Every time my dad answered the phone saying “hey Cuz!” I always knew Vinnie was on the other end. We will miss him dearly.
August 6, 2021
Vinnie was a great Martial Artist and even a better Man, Husband, Father, Sibling and Friend. He did not need to demonstrate his skills for approval he was secure in his ability and had the humility that made him a Black Belt to emulate. I always enjoyed being with him on the Mat and celebrating together. We shared many techniques and laughs. I always remember him smiling when I saw him, bowing to each other followed by a big hug. The running joke was “You have to be in great cardio vascular condition to do that”. Fond memories of celebrating Christmas with him and Lorraine in Oakland and dinners at Mt Fuji with Doc, Mickey and all the guys. Just got back from the funeral and repast. It was an honor to meet his daughter and brothers and his and Loraine’s family. The Service was beautiful followed by a US Army taps and flag ceremony. I prefer not to dwell on the last few years but to remember and celebrate a Life well Lived full of Love, Devotion ,Honor and Achievement. Rest in Peace. God Bless you and thank you for being in my life and a friend, Sincerely Shihan AL SHACKIL
August 6, 2021
Hey Cuz, Now that your in heaven with our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, and getting used to your new surroundings. The first thing you noticed was your back in your prime again. Young , strong and ready to kick some ass. Sorry Cuz, No ass kicking allowed in heaven, You have to play nice with everyone.Im sure you will hook up with Doc,Mickey, and Perry and they can give you the lowdown on the streets of gold. Doc will probably show you a couple new moves, Then tell you to throw a punch. Same old story, even in heaven. You throw the punch, Doc moves and whispers in your ear nice punch. Nothing changes my friend.In heaven you will always be healthy as a horse, laugh all the time, and sing to all the songs you love.Well enough about what you”ll be doing, I”ll be thinking about all the good times we had herein Jersey! From time to time I”ll here a song or drive passed somewhere we”ve been, or hear someone laughing the way you did, And it will remind me ” YO VINNIE ” how you doing. You cant help not to smile thinking about you Cuz. Well I”ll see you again someday, Wright now I have a long life to live and alot to do. So Cuz, drop in from time to time, you know a tap on the shoulder, a little ray of light shining down,a bird leaving something on my windshield, whatever.Just to let me know your still around. You may be gone, but damn you”ll never be forgotten.
August 8, 2021
It was truly an honor to know Vinny. He was a bull of a man on the mats and the most kind hearted guy off the mats. Genuinely the best of both worlds! The fact that he was always willing to pour all of his knowledge of the martial arts into everything he taught, everyone, every time he taught, was a gift that will be truly missed. He will always be honored in my heart and his teachings will live on in all the students lives he was a part of. Dojo family is always family!
September 9, 2021
We are so sorry to hear of Sensei Vinnie’s passing. He was a superb martial artist and a ‘bigger than life” personality. There was no better friend and no tougher opponent. My father thought the world of him and as Scot pointed out he was the “inspiration” for many of the improvements in what we do. Like Mike, I am sure that he and my Dad and Sensei Mickey and Perry are all together, talking it over and making it better in the great beyond. As my father would say, he was a real “mensch.” Rest in Peace Sensei Vinnie.