AUGUST, 2023
0-3000 GOLD BRACKETED TEAM 2 WINNERS
Paul Morris, Shari Smart, Kim Bauer, Lynda Patrick-Hayes
(Kim also became a Life Master with this win)
0-3000 GOLD BRACKETED TEAM 3 WINNERS
Denise Lott, Kay Kennedy, Susan Miller, Harvey Lowe (Seated)
(Denise also became a Life Master with this win)
FOR ALL OUR UNIT 351 WINNERS SEE THE "MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS" TAB ON THE LEFT
JULY, 2023
LEISURE WORLD NEWS, OCTOBER, 2009 “On August 4, Betsy Rosky celebrated her 100th birthday doing one of the things she loves most. She played bridge with her favorite partner Loren Elliott while more than 50 of her bridge playing friends took part in the celebration. She and Loren finished third that day.”
Colin or Connie?
May, 1971 (The Dryden Observer-Canada)
"Tony McNamara, left, Hal Wilmering, Ed Wager, Connie Van Wallegham of Dryden were overall trophy winners of the first inter district duplicate bridge tournament in Dryden on the weekend." (I will not be calling him Colin any longer!)
APRIL, 2023
JOYRIDING WITH BRUCE by Barb Hemerson
Bruce Dishman took Barb Gray and me out for a joyride in his recently purchased 1964 Chevelle. We went to a drive-thru restaurant, sat and had lunch and learned a little bit about him. Like many of the players here in Unit 351 he has an interesting story.
Bruce grew up in Spokane, Washington and graduated from Gonzaga University in 1963 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. His first job was in Northern California as a Research Scientist for NASA where he worked on “satellite attitude control”. By 1969 Bruce had had it with the crowds in California and moved himself and his family back to Gig Harbor, Washington. There Bruce found himself a job at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard where he worked on electronic controls for nuclear subs, as a Chief Combat Systems Engineer, Director of Environment and Quality, and more that I can’t read my notes on. Bruce retired in 1995 at age 53 and for the next 20 years spent winters in Baja, Mexico beaching, fishing and learning the language one word at a time…gracias, adios, buenos dias, but most of all cerveza. The drive to Mexico eventually became tiring and Bruce and his wife have spent their winters here in Apache Junction the past 8 years.
About that 1964 Chevelle. He has always been a fan of hot rods and has had 7 or 8 in his lifetime. The Chevelle will be garaged in an old firehouse in Washington where it is headed right now. Bruce will be showing it off at local car shows. Let me tell you I rode in the front seat of that car and the sound of the engine was pretty exciting! You may notice from the pics that Bruce is also a fan of tattoos. He had his first at 50 and now has 10 or 11 of them.
As far as bridge goes he learned to play in college but has only resumed the game over the past 4 years. Good Luck to him and fellow Unit 351 members Susie Welker, Pat Schlect and JB Smart as they play in the District 17 Grand National Team Finals in Denver during May this year!!!
  
That's my "friend" Elizabeth's finger over my face in the picture. I think it may have been intentional! But Bruce and Gray came out just fine.
MARCH, 2023
For her major contributions to bridge Maria Davis has been recognized as the ACBL District 17 Goodwill Ambassador. (Being "pinned" here by her husband Stuart) On October 6, 2016, Maria, together with special friend and longtime bridge partner Anne Newman, volunteered to run and direct the Thursday morning 99er coaching game for new players at the Sun Lakes Bridge Club.
Maria Davis is a key figure in our bridge world. Going back to her beginnings, she was born and raised in Queens, New York. After graduating from Queens College, she went on to Yeshiva University where she earned a PhD in molecular biology. Her spouse, Stuart Davis, was in the Air Force during their early married life, which led to time spent in northern Maine and Syracuse, New York. Then they resided for ten years in New Jersey before moving to Arizona in 2009. At some earlier point, Maria and her husband Stuart had taken an introductory bridge class. That’s where the seed was planted for Maria, although Stuart was not taken with the game! In Sun Lakes, Maria began bridge in earnest. She soon discovered Gordon Markham’s novice class and the 99er game, and then was off and running. She took all six bridge classes from FUN da MENTAL Bridge, Gordon’s teaching organization, culminating with 2 Over 1 Game Force in January 2014 and she got involved with assisting Gordon and Kath. After assisting Gordon for several years, she began teaching bridge herself and became an ACBL-accredited teacher. She also qualified to be a bridge director.
In 2016, Gordon had a Beginning Bridge Class scheduled when he and Kath were offered an opportunity to teach bridge on a cruise ship. Gordon passed the scheduled class to Maria, "Ready or Not", and she has been teaching full time since then.
On October 6th, 2016, Maria, together with special friend and longtime bridge partner Anne Newman, volunteered to run and direct the Thursday morning 99er coaching game for new players, despite receiving only meager director compensation. Here players have access to personalized instruction, enjoy a weekly mini-lesson and often get to play hands generated by Maria to reinforce the lesson. New players are made to feel welcome and comfortable. On a personal note, says Anne Newman: “Behind that reserved demeanor is a charming, loyal and dedicated woman with a keen sense of humor”. She has a variety of interests and never does anything halfway. Our bridge community is indeed fortunate to have Maria involved! Her ongoing dedication to teaching new players is invaluable to the future of bridge.
Maria now has assumed Operational Control over the FUN da MENTAL Bridge Classes at Sun Lakes. Here is a quote from Gordon: “She schedules the classes, arranges for classrooms, assigns instructors (Gordon, Karin, & Maria) and does the Publicity. Never an error. Never even a glitch. Maria's planning and execution is always flawless.”
There is absolutely no doubt that Maria is highly deserving of this special recognition as District 17 Bridge Ambassador. You can expect to see this honor publicized in the May issue of the D17 newsletter.
FEBRUARY, 2023
PROGRESSIVE SECTIONAL
MANY THANKS TO KIM BAUER, CHAIRWOMAN
♠ ♥ 2022 ACE OF CLUBS WINNERS ♦ ♣
L-R: Louie Quiggle, Richard Catero, Shari Smart, Chuck Quenneville,
Marcia Aspinall, Sid Porter, Barb Gray, Jim Libby, Mary Ryan, George Hofer,
Gordon Tam, Robert Vockrodt, Linda Free, Lakin Hines
♠ ♥ 2022 MINI-MCKENNEY WINNERS♦ ♣
L-R: Richard Catero, Chuck Quenneville, Shari Smart, Barb Gray, Pat Schlecht, Susan Kraght, George Hofer, Gordon Tam, Robert Vockrodt, Linda Free, Kyle Rockoff
FLIGHT A N/S WINNERS FLIGHT B N/S & E/W WINNERS
 
Ardy McLeod - Marv Topper N/S Bob Nell-Don Norman
E/W Wendy Buchan-Mary Ann Weberg
DECEMBER, 2022
The D17 North American Pairs (NAPs) Finals were held at the Las Vegas Glitter Gulch Regional in November. The top three pairs in Flight A and the top four pairs in Flight B and Flight C are eligible to advance to the NAPs Championships held during the 2023 Spring NABC in New Orleans, LA. Congratulations to our Unit members who placed in Flight B…Kyle Rockoff …Unit President Lakin Hines…and Unit Treasurer Shari Smart.
 
September, 2022
Like many of those we play bridge with, Janet Daling accomplished much more in her life than those 27,000 plus masterpoints she earned. Read about her life here:
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/chandler-az/janet-daling-10935714
August, 2022
Meet Mary Rose Redding by Barb Hemerson
Sitting next to someone for 3 or 4 hands of bridge doesn’t give you much time to get to know them. Even those 2 or 3 minutes you sometimes have to spare is often consumed with “hand talk”. But here in Unit 351 we have people who have accomplished much in their lifetime as well as attaining various levels of life master.
Lynda and I are going to highlight them here occasionally. We hope you enjoy reading about your fellow bridge players and their life at and away from the table.
This gal and I have been friends for more than 18 years. I am proud to share a few facts of her life.
MEET MARY ROSE REDDING!
Mary Rose learned how to play bridge from her mom when she was barely a teen and would play with anyone that would have her. She often went down to the Yacht Club in Biloxi (where she was born) to find partners. Most of the adults there weren’t interested in playing with a 13-year-old so she thought, “Well I’m down here I think I’ll take sailing lessons”. Mary Rose beat out all the boys in her first regatta for the title of “Skipperette”!
During her years in high school, she excelled in sports. Winning titles in tennis, golf and soft ball.
In college Mary Rose started out in music. After all she had been playing the coronet (It’s a like a trumpet she tells me) since 4th grade. But a year or so into it (after being appointed Student Band Leader) she decided there wasn’t much demand for a woman band leader. She switched her major and earned a Bachelor of Science degree.
After college she moved to Houston with some friends where she worked as a Medical Technician and decided to take up bowling! Now if you know anything about bowling her 196 average was pretty awesome. She played 38 years in national tournaments and was inducted into the Arizona Women’s Bowling Hall of Fame. (Ask her to show you her necklace)
Mary Rose met her husband Lee in Kindergarten and they began dating in Jr High. After she returned from Houston they were married in 1961.
Lee went to work for the Forest Service and they were stationed in Steamboat Creek, Oregon. Lee had been playing kitchen table bridge for some time and they decided to try duplicate by driving the hour to Roseburg, Oregon. From Steamboat Creek they were stationed in Utah and then Arizona. First in Sedona and then in Springerville where Mary Rose took up another “sport”. The softball league there needed an umpire so…. she became one!
They were transferred to Mesa in the 80’s. She umpired hundreds and hundreds of games over her 20+ years here. First for Mesa’s Rec league and eventually high school fast pitch.
Over the years she and Lee played duplicate bridge occasionally but it wasn’t until she met Lois Catero, here in Mesa, that she became a Life Master. Mary Rose has said she and Lois played everywhere.. all the time… day in and day out.
She and Lee did a lot for our unit. For many of our tournaments they were the “equipment managers” hauling tables, chairs, and other equipment needed back and forth as well as setting them up.
Oh, and do you know what? I think she caught a 300-pound marlin somewhere in between all this other stuff.
She has accomplished quite a bit…don’t you think?
JULY, 2022
GNT Finals by Lynda Patrick-Hayes
The District 17 Grand National Teams Final took place at the May Rocky Mountain Regional in Denver, Colorado.
Winning Flight A were L-R: Kyle Rockoff, Doug Couchman, Ron Vickery and Jared Boulds.
Kyle plays at the Sun Lakes Club. He is member of Unit #351. This team will now move onto the Nationals. They will add Bill Lindgren from Tucson for that event. Everyone on the Flight A 2022 team is from the Tucson area except Kyle who lives in Gilbert.
Kyle was also on the winning Flight B team in 2021 along with Couchman, Vickery, Cayce Blanchard, Andi Parham and Ed Helper. Andi Parham also is a member of Unit #351 and plays at clubs in the area.
GOOD LUCK, KYLE AND TEAM AT NATIONALS!
WE WILL BE CHEERING YOU AND WAITING TO HEAR THE RESULTS!
YOU MAKE UNIT#351 PROUD!
June, 2022
The Qs by Lynda Patrick-Hayes
Bridge players live in a world of percentages and odds. The day I sat down to play against Louie Quiggle and Chuck Quenneville I walked away thinking many things but what kept returning to my mind was – what were the odds that two people in our Unit #351 would have a last name beginning with a Q. That led to what were the odds that they would be partners.
Chuck is from the Montreal area of Canada. He was born and raised about 60 miles south of Montreal on a dairy farm. The young man of French Canadian descent left home as soon as he was able – moving to the Hamilton and Toronto areas.
He walked into a veteran’s club in 1970. They were playing bridge. They invited him to join them. He didn’t know how to play the game so they taught him. A year later he had enough points to play in the 1971 Nationals.
He built a business in the music industry and worked in real estate. The next 35 years he played money bridge – not duplicate.
Growing very tired of the cold and snow he and his wife, Carol, moved to Scottsdale 1978 where he continued to play money bridge. He continued to do some work in real estate.
He finally retired and settled in Sun Lakes. That’s where he began playing duplicate bridge once again.
In 2010 Chuck had bypass surgery. He said, “Other than my family the only other people to visit me were Louie and Roz Quiggle.” They were friends from that moment..
About 5-6 years ago he partnered up with Louie. The rest is history. Everyone knows what an awesome partnership exists.
“Louie has always played for love of the game…I was in it for the money.”
– Chuck Quenneville.
Louie was raised in Southern California….and then his family moved to Northern California. He was 27 years old when he returned home from the military. He began playing bridge in 1967 while he was student at Chico State with a group of guys in the Student Union Building. They took him to Oroville one night for game where whoever won first won 1.0 masterpoint. Louie and his partner won first that night. He went to the bookstore and bought a couple of bridge books and he hasn’t stopped reading or playing since then.
He went on to graduate with a degree in Biology and Physical Education. That was followed by his MS in Computer Science. He taught school at every level…and also was a stock broker.
He told all about the young ACBL. How it was started in 1934. He said that he has played against all the big time players – Stayman, Smolen, Blackwood, Roth, Sheinwold, Jacoby, Crane.
“I grew up with the people who invented the conventions.”
He and his wife, Roz, were one of the ten couples in the United States who played together – and each one had 10,000 points.
He has never won a National Championship but he has placed 3rd, 5th and 10th. He is #296 on the all time top tournament players still living.
He and Roz moved to Arizona because their grandchildren were here. He decided to just relax and play the game. When he arrived he was a Bridge Director – on the National Goodwill Committee and a National Tournament Chairman. He decided to not tell anyone.
He has, though, served on the Unit #351 Board of Directors.
He just recently went over 15,000 points.
No matter how hard he tries, he cannot escape any “q”- even his ACLB number begins with a “Q”.
“I am a fan of the game – I am a fan of sportsmanship.”
- Louie Quiggle
JUNE, 2022
Statistics by Barb Hemerson
I know I am stealing a spot in Lynda's Newsletter but....I couldn't sleep last night so here is some interesting (well to me at least) information from our Unit 351 Roster
Total members of Unit 351 486
Haven't Played Since 80s 3
Haven't Played Since 90s 2
Haven't Played 2000-2019 53
Have Never Played 23 (Includes 2 new members)
Number of members who I am guessing seldom/never play at our games:
Casa Grande 8
Eloy 4
Florence 6
Laveen 1
Oracle 13
Oro Valley 1
Number of members who are snowbirds but keep their membership in our Unit:
Minn, Iowa,Mich,Virg,Mo,Ore, Wash, Colo 13
Most Popular Name of Unit 351 Players:
Women -BARB/BARBARA 12
Men-JIM/JAMES 14
(I happen to know a wonderful couple named Barb and Jim)
Average age in Unit 351: 76
There are 199 players in the 0-199 bracket
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