It is with great sadness that we report that Vana McCraw passed away on January 10, 2023.  Her memorial service is on Wednesday, February 1, at 10 AM at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, 14485 SW Walker Rd, Beaverton, OR 97006. We send our condolences to her family. 

It with great sadness that we report that Betty Rossman passed away at the age of 104.  In an email from Mike Eyer he said this of her "another of the Grande Dames of Portland bridge, Betty Rossman, has moved to that higher table where so many of our players have gone this past year. She had the stories and knew how to tell them". We send our condolences to her family and will post any information that we receive. A link to her obituary is here.

Photo credit: Bill Moore, taken at the Seaside Regional in 2012.

We were notified yesterday that Ian Kirk passed away Friday evening. We pass on our condolences to Margi and their families. His sarcasm and quick wit will be missed at the table. Rest in peace, Ian. 

We were informed that Jim Milne passed away on December 21 at the age of 95.  He led an interesting life and was one of the kindest men we have ever known.  He worked at his engineering firm into his 90's. 

We were notififed by Nick Flores that Jack Marsh passed away.  Here is his message:  Jack Marsh passed away on December 16th after suffering two strokes (both a clot and a hemorrhage) on November 27th. The brain damage from the strokes was irreversible, and his pre-written wishes were to allow nature to take its course from that point forward. OHSU and Hospice partnered to make him as comfortable as possible and allowed him to pass peacefully.

Please share this news with your club members, and our family wants to thank the Portland/Vancouver bridge community for their friendship to my grandfather for so many decades. Bridge allowed him to live a long and full life, forge many great friendships, and gave him something to share with me over the years as well.

A BIG congratulations go to Carol Juckeland who made Life Master in this morning's game, Monday, November 23!  Way to go Carol!  

More sad news...

We heard that Eleanore Rubinstein passed away on Sunday, November 8.  "The Days Of Wine & Roses" - Michael Allen Harrison & Julianne Johnson put together a song and video together that can be found here and her obituary can be found here.  Even towards the end of her life she was still reaching out to those less fortunate than her, offering her help where ever she could.  

We were notified yesterday that Frank Nemeth passed away at home.  Here's what his "pal" (his name on BBO was Marthaspal) Martha Maroney had to share about him:  

Frank had been ill for the past 5-6 weeks. He was hospitalized for nearly 3 weeks for amputation of several toes, due to complications of long-term diabetes. His surgery went well, and he was discharged to rehab, where he spent a couple weeks.

Last week he went home, and I was under the impression he was on the mend. But in a fog induced by some painkilling meds, he let slip that he was on hospice. This did not come as a total surprise, because he had earlier told me of having been on kidney dialysis while in the hospital, of how he hated it, and of how he intended to discontinue it. I knew his decision meant his eventual demise, but had not realized how fast that might come, and had just the other day reached out to his caregiver to set up a visit at his home. What a disappointment that did not happen, but what a blessing that he did not linger in pain and discomfort for months, as some people do.

I met Frank about three years ago when we were paired as walk-ins on a Tuesday PBC limited game. He rapidly became my favorite bridge partner in my 11 years of having played this game. I learned more from him than from any other of the fine and patient partners I had paired with to that point. We had the ideal setup, in which our respective strengths and weaknesses complemented one another: we both became better players as a result of our partnership.

The highlight for me was when we attended Seaside in 2017. Each of us had fewer than five Gold points entering that event, and in the course of three days' play, we each had earned 23.5 more of them -- enough to put us both over the top for LM status not long after. Another memory he likes to share is the time he watched me open 2NT after he had just sorted his own 20-point hand. And the time he opened 1D in third seat and I responded 6NT (my first-seat pass having been in error), making. Life is not fair: I was declarer on both hands even though he was the stronger at declarer play.

Some of you may have known Frank from when he played decades ago when PBC was at a much earlier location (or locations). Like many people, he took a long hiatus after that and only returned to the game in a serious sense about the time I ran into him three years ago. I believe he had played off and on for some time in the casual games at the Milwaukie Senior Center, and suspect that some people in the club might have remembered him from those games.

Frank was a retiree from the US Postal Service. He never married, but was lucky to have a devoted sister and other family of whom I was slightly aware. His sister and nephew cared for him devotedly these past few months. He lived on the near east side, and told me of how when he was still mobile he loved long walks into downtown over the Hawthorne bridge. He also loved the horses and was an avid bettor.

Frank and I played regular online games since the clubs closed, nearly daily until just a week ago. Recently I have played the Aces's Thursday morning limited game with Elizabeth Crawford, a player at both the Ace and PBC who knew Frank originally from the Milwaukie Senior Center. When I share advice with her, more often than not my favorite pointers are those I preface with "Now, this one's really important, something that Frank taught me ..."

Happy birthday to our players born in February! From left to right: Dave Green, Joan Borberg, Irva Neyhart and Zack Woodbury.

Irva and Roger McNay won our birthday game with over 61%!

Congratulations to Mark Mackenzie and Justin Beck who won our annual Oscar Wallace Memorial Game! 

Their 68% game also won the Saturday afternoon STaC in the Pacific Northwest!

On Sunday, January 19, we held a Non-Life-Master Team game, hoping to get some of our newer players more familiar with team games and IMP scoring...

Mission accomplished!!! 12 teams showed up!

Congratulations to the winners: Kristin Steinmetz, Paul Walker, Ancer Haggerty and Clariner Boston.

Happy birthday to our players born in January! From left to right: Merlin Vilhauer, Marie Ashton, Rick Prouser and Tuba Unlu.

We celebrated the holiday season at the club on Sunday, Dec 15 with our annual Christmas Party!

Good food and good bridge for everyone, and a nice early Christmas gift for the winner of our raffle, Eileen Norris (pictured).

Winners of the 15-table open game: Merlin Vilhauer - Raj Garg

Winners of the 8-table 749er game: Martha Maroney - Frank Nemeth

Irene's 2019 Mrs Claus Party was another large success with 17 tables! Pictured here with players Patricia Shaddix and Karen Douek.

Congratulations to the winners: George Oleary and Jim Unterspan.

Our December birthday guy who enjoyed a free game on Monday, Dec 9... Happy birthday to Jerry Wershba!

On Friday, Dec 6, we celebrated 3 milestones at the club! Leslie Kelinson's 75th birthday (left), Veronica Reeves' 50th bithday (center) and Jamie Sparks' 45th birthday (right).

16 tables of bridge players attended the event and one of our birthday girls won! Congratulations to Jamie Sparks, who was playing with Louis Beauchet.

On Saturday, November 16, we celebrated Louis Beauchet's King of Bridge coronation!

22 tables of bridge players and a fun afternoon for everyone. Congratulations to Steve Peel - Daniel Hoekstra who won the Open Pairs and Gene Hval - Ed Celnicker who won the Flight B Pairs!

We apologize to those who couldn't fit in the picture!!!

On Monday, November 11, we honored our Veterans and celebrated our players born in November!

Pictured, from left to right: Mike Eyer, George Crawford, Jack Wetherson, Labe Walton, Irene Pickett, Ron Senn, Jamie Sparks, Ron Root and Jay Edwards.

Louis Beauchet and Jon Bartlett won the game with 69%.

Felicia Wershba recently celebrated her 70th birthday at the club with 15 tables of bridge players!

18 tables of bridge players enjoyed a nice session of bridge as well as some treats on October 31st!

Congratulations to the father-son pair of Jack and Tom Sands who won the open pairs, and to Sandy Wilson - Ginny Gainer who won the 749er!

Pick your favorite costume...

Happy birthday to our players born in October!

From left to right, Jack Wetherson, Ed Lee, Louis Beauchet and Inez Weiss.

Congratulations to Alan Johnson and Lynne Schaeffer who won our birthday game!

On Monday, September 23, the players celebrated Donna Braniff's birthday!

Congratulations to Cynthia Morelli and Louis Beauchet who won the game with over 70%.

Happy birthday to all our players born in September!

From left to right: Louise Johns, Nancy Crawford, Donna Braniff, Jeanenne Chizum and Marie Pinch.

Mike Levy and Hal Montgomery won the event with a giant 74% game!

21 tables of bridge players joined Irene for her annual Oktoberfest Potluck!

Congratulations to Sandy Emmons and Anita Caviglia who won the event with a 63% game!

Tying for second place are Jane Urban - Patricia Jacob and Brian Taylor - Tom Kroupa.

Happy birthday to our players born in August!

From left to right: Ruth Bendl, Steve Moody and Mary Ann Walton.

Congratulations to Gene Hval and Louis Beauchet who won our birthday game with 66%!

Congratulations to Peter and Mary Hepokoski (respectively second and fourth from the left) who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Friday, June 28!

Pictured with Nancy Crawford and Cynthia Sinn.

Happy birthday to our players born in July! From left to right: Don Tofte, Mike Levy and Lynn Perey.

Once again the Longest Day events have been a great success, with lots of money raised for research on Alzheimer's disease.

Congratulations to Roger McNay and Daniel Hoekstra who won both games, averaging 66%!

Congratulations to all the players who placed in the latest STaC and Sectional! David Brower topped the masterpoint winners list in both the STaC and the Sectional.

STaC results: http://web2.acbl.org/tournaments/results/2019/06/1906120.htm

Sectional results: http://web2.acbl.org/tournaments/results/2019/06/1906119.htm

Congratulations to Bill Hardy and Vana McCraw who won the 2019 Art Gillis Memorial Game with over 61%!

16 tables of bridge players gathered on Wednesday, May 8 to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Irene's game... and enjoy some delicious tacos!

Congratulations to Judy Dauble and Richard Crist who won the game with a giant 68.5% game!

Happy birthday to all our players born in April!

From left to right: Deanne Takasumi, Jim Wheeler, Sylvia Riewerts, Dave Pinch, Bill Hardy, Dwayne Brackhahn, Laverne Kittilson and Staci Christian.

2 of our birthday people, Bill Hardy and Staci Christian, won the game with over 71%. Congratulations!

17 tables of avid bridge players gathered on Tuesday, April 2 to celebrate Staci Christian's birthday.

Congratulations to Flo Savage and Don Tofte who won the event with a 66% game!

Our annual Pro-Am has been, once again, a great success with 20 tables!

Congratulations to Louis Beauchet and Nely Johnson who won the 40-pair contest with over 69%.

Carol Schmid and Greg Fowler

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Kudos to the Waltons who won our March birthday game!

Congratulations to Irva Neyhart and Roger McNay who won the 2019 Oscar Wallace Memorial game with over 65%!

We will have STaC games (silver points) on Thursday and Friday morning, Jan 24-25. Overall results will be available on the page below:

http://tournaments.acbl.org/schedule.php?sanction=1901106

The club is closed on Jan 26-27 for the Portland Sectional held at the Montgomery Park. Flyer below:

http://web2.acbl.org/Tournaments/Ads/2019/01/1901102.pdf

See you there!

Congratulations to all the players who placed at the latest Sectional! Bruce Cuthbertson of Vancouver WA tops the masterpoint winners list with a total of over 29 masterpoints.

Results below:

https://live.acbl.org/events/1901102

Our 2nd monthly Crepes Party on Jan 19 has been a big success with 11 tables.

Congratulations to Martha Maroney-Louis Beauchet who won NS and Louise Johns-Paul Reeves who won EW!

Betty Apalategui and Bill Russell

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Congratulations to Jim Wheeler and Bob Hormel who won our monthly birthday game on Tuesday, Feb 12!

The Oregon Trail Regional is coming up next week! The tournament starts on Monday evening, Feb 18 and continues all week. Follow the action on ACBL Live! Link to the tournament home page below:

https://acbld20.org/tourn2019/Oregon_Trail/OTR2019.html

All games except Wednesday's 299er will be STaC. Almost all clubs in Districts 19 and 20 are participating!

Silver points for those placing at the club level and LOTS of silver points for those placing in the overalls.

Hope to see you all there!

Overall results will be available on the page below:

http://tournaments.acbl.org/schedule.php?sanction=1901105