Player Feature – Gwen Thomas to retire from Club Manager and Director Position

 

Gwen Thomas has served a major role in promoting duplicate bridge in Northern Arizona for almost 18 years.  She has been Club Manager of the Yavapai Duplicate Bridge Club in Prescott, Arizona for this entire time period. As well as the Yavapai Club, Gwen organized and ran the Prescott Sectional tournament which is held each year in July.   She also served as President and  Treasurer of Unit 355,  Northern Arizona Bridge.  She has been on the Unit Board of Directors for the entire 18 years she has lived in Arizona.

 

Gwen was raised in Argentine, Kansas a short distance from Kansas City.  Argentine was located on the Sante Fe railroad and had a silver smelter.  Silver is technically known as Argentine (AG) in the Periodic table of elements, thus the name of the town.

 

Gwen started playing bridge in 1950 at lunchtime where she worked.  She played with a fellow worker and the game they played was called “Honeymoon Bridge” as there were only two players.  She played the same game at nighttime with childhood friend Doris Smith.  Gwen used to visit her Aunt Millie who lived in Phoenix every June during summer school recess.  Although it was warm in Phoenix, it was much more pleasant than Kansas summers with 90 degrees heat and 90% humidity.  Gwen has another longtime childhood friend, Jackie Bonura, who resides in Sun City West.

 

Gwen has been married to husband Eugene for 57 years this September 15^th.  After marrying, the couple moved to California to pursue Eugene’s career.  Gwen speaks proudly of her husband, Eugene and his accomplishments.  He was an Aerospace engineer and worked for North American Aviation, which later became Rockwell, and later, Boeing.  Eugene was the Lead Engineer in creation and development of the Space Shuttle for NASA.  He has worked on every rocket that the United States built since 1950.

 

Gene and Gwen lived in Lakewood California for most of their adult life and raised two children.  Gwen was the kind of lady who “Never could say no” and took leadership positions in many community activities, as well as playing duplicate bridge.  Among her accomplishments were President of Toastmistress, President of the parents band support group, Campfire girls, PTA, Den Master and past Worthy Matron of the Eastern Star.  Gwen joined ACBL as she played bridge three times a week while living in Lakewood.

 

Gwen and Eugene moved to Prescott Arizona in 1986 following his retirement.   They chose Prescott as they wanted a town with four seasons, fewer people, but still close to their grandchildren who remain in California.  Shortly after moving to Prescott, Gwen,
“Who Never Could say No” was asked to take the Unit 355 Northern Arizona  President position, as well as forming the Yavapai Duplicate bridge club which met 3 times a week.  Although not being the most qualified person for this position, Gwen volunteered for the task as no one else wanted the job.  Her main interest as a Club Manager was to have a good reputation as a “friendly game”, with kindness, courtesy and making people feel welcome at the games she managed and directed.  She wanted people to feel they had a wonderful time when they departed the games she conducted.

 

Gwen started the Prescott Summer Sectional in 1989.  Gwen puts a lot of personal effort into this event baking cookies, breads and making her famous ham salad sandwiches for people who attend the tournament.  She manages the entire event but has a lot of help from other players in Prescott.

 

Gwen and Eugene have two children, four grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.  Their daughter teaches Hopi and Navajo children near Holbrook Arizona.  Their son works at Yavapai Regional Medical Center in Prescott.

 

Gwen is retiring as Club Manager and Director, but not from playing bridge.  She and husband Gene, both enjoy traveling and spending time in their travel trailer.  With the commitments of Club manager, they have had to schedule their vacations around the bridge schedule.  In fact, she has not been able to spend her anniversary with Gene for the past 5 years due to a conflict with the Laughlin Sectional tournament.  She announced  her plan to retire to Gene and he immediately picked up the calendar and started to plan more trips.   Gwen also plans to take up her art work again.  She especially likes to paint animals and people.   She has sold several paintings which she made while living in California.

 

Gwen will still be playing at Prescott at the New Adult Center and will be attending some bridge tournaments.  She looks forward to playing more frequently, since as a director, she did not play unless a player was needed to make an even table movement.  She intends to use her experience to help Northern Arizona by maintaining her position on the Northern Arizona Unit 355 Board of Directors. 

 

Gwen has been successful in achieving her objective of making the Prescott games a good experience for people.  She runs the club with professionalism, but also with a little touch of fun, witness last year’s Halloween Party.  Let’s Thank Gwen for her many contributions to Bridge in Northern Arizona and wish Gwen and Eugene many nice vacations.