July 2018 - 71

Margie Gwozdzinsky 1948-2018
Margie Gwozdzinsky, a Grand Life Master and world champion, died on May 19 at age 70. Born in Poland, she spent much
of her life in New York, where she was known as the Countess,
before moving to Florida with Richard Schwartz in 2000.
A six-time NABC champion, Gwozdzinsky won the three
women's team events, the Whitehead Women's Pairs and the
Freeman Mixed BAM. She had six second-place finishes, including the 1989 Reisinger. That same year, she won the Venice
Cup, playing with Kitty Cooper, Kerri Sanborn, Karen McCallum, Lynn Deas and Beth Palmer.
Cooper, who had known Gwozdzinsky since 1975, posted a remembrance of her on
Bridge Winners:
"Margie was ever a loyal friend and helper in times of need. She had very strong
opinions and let you know them. Over the years she taught me many things about
life, plus some kitchen tips, airplane ride tips, and more, but she never got me to be as
sound an opening bidder as she was. Roth was her idol. She preferred 16-18 notrumps
back when the world was opening lighter and lighter. There was once a hand with acesixth of each major in a New York pro-am, a hand which every pro in the room opened,
except for Margie and one other.
"She was a true competitor and exemplified toughness at the bridge table. She was
one of the first to wear sunglasses when she played, so that her opponents could not
read her. She never stopped fighting at bridge or in life."
Born March 17, 1948, the only child of Rachel Gwozdzinski, a Holocaust survivor, and
Frank Gwozdzinski, she moved to New York with her family in 1960. She graduated
from the LaGuardia High School of Music & Art & Performing Arts in 1965 and from
City College of New York in 1969. She worked as a programmer for Grumman Aerospace and then Merrill Lynch before becoming a bridge professional.
"She was a very smart person," Schwartz said. "She was a giver, not a taker. She was
never into expensive gifts."
Schwartz said Gwozdzinsky was instrumental in helping him learn the system he
used when preparing for Senior trials and world championships in 2011-13.
"She was a great cardplayer," he said. "She liked to develop partnerships. She took
partnerships very seriously. We used to go over Bridge World hands together on the
plane to nationals."
She was briefly married to New York podiatrist Morty Draluck and spent several
years with Glenn Eisenstein, who also shared memories on Bridge Winners: "Margie
was, as others have noted, a fiercely loyal friend who might tell you off at times, but
defend you if others who didn't know you as well tried to."
During their partnership, Gwozdzinsky often instructed him to lead "clubs against
slams, diamonds against club slams, hearts against notrump," rules he invariably disregarded. Until one time he found himself on lead against 6NT holding a flat Yarborough, he decided to follow her rule but couldn't remember it and led a diamond.
"Before dummy even came down, the Countess tossed the ace-king of diamonds
on the table and claimed down one. And then immediately yelled at me: 'Boo-boo,
hearts against notrump.'"

In Memoriam policy
Notification of death must come from a family member or from the estate of the deceased.
Notification from a non-family member - such as from a club or unit official - is acceptable
only with a copy of a published obituary or link to an online obituary. Notifications may be sent
by email to inmemoriam@acbl.org or by phone to 800-264-2743 or by mail to ACBL, c/o
In Memoriam Desk, 6575 Windchase Blvd., Horn Lake MS 38637-1523.

Life Master Milestones
➤ continued from pg. 69

Kay Searcy, El Paso TX
Barbara Vervenne, Austin TX
Harry Alferink Jr., Richmond VA
Ray Jakobovits, Williamsburg VA
Darlene Selz, Chesterfield VA
Carole Spencer, Blacksburg VA
Mary Carlson, Marysville WA
Richard Hall, South Charleston WV
Jean Norgaard, Cheyenne WY
Bronze Life Master
Pat Anderson, Calgary AB
Chris Burton, Lethbridge AB
Marc Maes, Calgary AB
Roger Buckland, Shediac NB
Barb Croft, Mount Uniacke NS
Don Wright, Kentville NS
Karla Zwicker, Hants County NS
Trudi Graham, London ON
Helen McKelvie, Windsor ON
Serge Cote, Quebec QC
Robert Fleury, Montreal QC
Serge Girard, Chicoutimi QC
Marcel Soucy, Metis-Sur-Mer QC
Marcel Verreault, Laval QC
Patricia Long, Saskatoon SK
Mark Desinger, Anchorage AK
Kay Lang, Jacksonville AL
Joella McManus, Huntsville AL
Patricia Pearcy, Little Rock AR
Clark Vernon, Hot Springs Village AR
Ellen Blum, Scottsdale AZ
Kate Stewart, Tucson AZ
Diane Weissman, Fountain Hills AZ
Miriam Bertram, Irvine CA
Alan Cawi, Lake Forest CA
Martha England, Mill Valley CA
Phillip Frankel, McKinleyville CA
Larry Graves, La Quinta CA
Eileen Hayes, Sacramento CA
Savita Jain, Irvine CA
David Jones, Long Beach CA
Kathy Juarez, Santa Rosa CA
Mariann Kessler, Walnut Creek CA
Vilas Namjoshi, San Jose CA
Sharon Neff, Lincoln CA
Karen Olin, Claremont CA
Margaret Riegert, Lincoln CA
Linda Rocha, Los Gatos CA
Josh Rosenbluth, Oxnard CA
Joerg Rottenbacher, Arcadia CA
Gloria Shagrun, Chico CA
Mark Sorenson, San Bruno CA
Susan Fallon, Estes Park CO
Louise Forsythe, Greenwood Village CO
continued on pg. 78 ➤
July 2018 Bridge Bulletin

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2018