New Life Master

Our new Life Master Pat Tangorra is a Rockford native. Pat graduated from an all girls’ high school, Bishop Muldoon, followed by a few years of college at Northern Illinois University. Her family includes three adult children, Julie, Carrie and Chris, and two grandchildren Kyle and Rachael. Pat retired six years ago from the accounting and finance department at Rockford Health Systems.

With the extra time, her friends Mary Simonson and Pat Olafson talked her into playing bridge at the Rockford Bridge Club. Pat said she started playing bridge a long time ago with her friends. Needing to hone her bridge skills, Pat took lessons from Mary Jo Sergent at the Rockford Club. From there Pat earned the needed black and gold points, before she had the required silver points to become a Life Master. In the January Elgin Sectional, Pat needed 4.18 silver to earn the 50 points to become a LM. In one day, she and her partner, Pat Olafson, earned 4.22 silver to advance to the next levels. Pat Olafson advanced to a Bronze Life Master.

Pat related one story about playing in a bridge tournament against two obnoxious opponents. One of the players put out the stop card before making his bid. Pat bid too soon (the rule states you are to wait ten seconds) and the opponent, in a sarcastic tone, asked Pat, “How long has she played bridge?” Pat, not missing a beat, answered “one week”, which took the wind out his sails.

Other members of the Rockford Club and I have found Pat to be a very inspirational and courageous individual. Fighting stage four ovarian cancer and under going many chemotherapy treatment, Pat has always been a pleasant and positive player. Pat said, “Being around people and their support at the Rockford Club, was her medicine for this set-back in life”. At this time, Pat is going through a second round of chemo, and she has every intention of  “beating this thing”.

Pat has many hobbies and interests other than playing bridge. Pat is a gardener, bicycler, a wine drinker and a member of a contemporary line-dancing club. She said its contemporary because they don’t dance to “cow boy music”. Pat has traveled to San Francisco and Florida in pursuit of this activity.

Congratulations, Pat, on becoming a Life Master and definitely an asset to the bridge community.

Congratulations ...

To Rockford Bridge Club players Will Engel and Bob Fashingbauer, who tied for 5th through 8th in the national finals of the championship flight of the Grand National Teams in Atlanta GA. Their team -- which included Mike Halvorsen of Champaign and Richard Blumenthal of Crystal Lake -- won the District 8 event in Springfield in May and received a travel award to represent our District in Atlanta.

To Unit 239 players who recently advanced in rank:

Junior Master:  Shawn Harms, Sugar Grove;  Christine Lease, Sterling;  George Vincere, Rockford.

Club Masters:  Mary Belcher, Huntley;  Karen Girardy, Rockford;  Victor Nora, St. Charles.

Sectional Master:  Joyce Fik, Huntley;  Ginger Rudolph, Freeport.

Regional Masters:  David Shair, Rockford.

Bronze Life Master:  Caralee Hopman, Huntley;  Peggy Wallace, Dixon.

Sliver Life Master:  Don Malone, Beloit, WI.

ROCKFORD CLASSIC SILVER SECTIONAL

Thursday through Sunday, September 19-22

Tebala Shrine, 7010 Newburg Road, Rockford IL

Directions:  From Route 90, exit East State Street. Turn right to Bell School Road and turn left to Newburg Road. Turn left again to Tebala Shrine on left.

Host hotel:  Marriott Fairfield, 7651 Walton, Rockford IL.  $84/king - $89/double (includes breakfast).

Chairperson:  Doug St John    815-877-8460

Partnerships:  Dave & Lu Jenkins  815-398-7400   dave.lu@comcast.net