March 2024 - 77

Ted Gibbs | 1943-2023
By Teri Wilks
Thomas " Ted " Gibbs Jr., age 80, of Rancho Palos Verdes
CA, died Dec. 12. Ted was born May 18, 1943, in Austin TX
to Thomas and Lois Gibbs. He grew up in Arlington TX
and attended Arlington High School and Allen Military
Academy. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy
in 1965. While a cadet at the academy, he met the love of
his life, Meredith, in El Segundo CA, while visiting for a
football game against UCLA, where Meredith was a student.
After earning his bachelor's degree at USAFA, Ted
then attended law school at the University of Southern
California while he served in the Air Force at Space and
Missile Systems Organization.
Ted began his law career at a law firm in Century City
CA, specializing in real estate, and he later went on to
become assistant general counsel at Kaufman and Broad.
He eventually became an entrepreneur in the real estate
industry.
While at home, he doted on his many dogs, most of
which were rescues. He was a beloved coach for his
daughters' various sports teams and was an active volunteer
serving his community.
Ted enjoyed competition and challenging himself. He
played basketball well into middle age. He also enjoyed the
challenge of bridge and won a number of regional championships
with overall finishes in national events. His
favorite partner was Meredith, but she was not interested
in traveling to national events, and so he formed a partnership
with Alan Myerson, and together, they competed
in national and regionals for over 30 years. In later years,
Fred Theurkauf | 1941-2023
Noted bridge tour operator Fred Theurkauf of Redlands
CA died Nov. 19. Theurkauf, a Diamond Life Master, was
82.
Theurkauf founded Finesse West Tours in 1988, and he
hosted 120 bridge tours around the world accompanied
by his wife, Bev Ching. The tours always featured stops at
local bridge clubs, where players got to meet, play and dine
with other bridge enthusiasts from around the globe. This
promotional material from Fred to his clients summarized
his tour philosophy:
" My personal experiences from playing bridge in clubs
throughout the world is that the visiting bridge player
is afforded a special hospitality that is not accessible
to the average traveler. It is much more fun to meet and
chat with the local people in the wonderful places you're
touring. After all, Italy is not just the Colosseum, St.
he played locally with Shelly Appel,
Steve Ramos and many others. Ted also
played in a private game organized by
Eli Borok that included players such
as Marshall Miles, Gene Freed, Gerry
Bare, Jeff Goldsmith, Mitch Dunitz and
Bill Holmquist.
According to Alan, Ted was an ideal
partner. He always had his bids, remained focused and
never lost his composure. The kindness and respect he
showed his opponents made him a beloved figure in the
Los Angeles bridge community.
Appel said, " Ted was one of the most sought-after players
in L.A.. His many partners would always comment on
how his easygoing nature improved their game. "
Expert Jill Meyers said, " Ted was one of the nicest people
to play bridge in L.A. He was very well respected, and
it was always a joy to see him and his wife Meredith. Ted
was also a very talented player, and had bridge been his
main focus, he would have gone very far in the game. "
Mitch Dunitz commented, " Ted was a class act, a gentleman's
gentleman, a kind man who did everything with
grace and style. "
Ted's passing is a huge loss to the L.A. bridge community
and is very keenly felt.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Meredith; his
daughters Mandy Shaw (Brian) and their children Owen,
Ainsley and Hailey; Kelly Gibbs (David) and their children
Jack, Ryan and Ava; Rory Ingels (Paul) and their
children Avery and Scott; and his brother, Steve.
Peter's Basilica, the Leaning Tower of
Pisa, and the Grand Canal. It is about
the people themselves. Think back to
what you remember about your last trip
abroad. It most likely included a story
about the people you encountered under
some interesting circumstances. "
Finesse West Tours were popular with
bridge players, and they were typically sold out months in
advance. Many of his clients were repeat customers.
In addition to bridge, Fred enjoyed world history, different
cultures, geography, travel and aviation. He was a general
aviation pilot for 30 years, and he owned a Comanche
Piper airplane.
Theurkauf is survived by Bev, son Michael and his wife
Kelly and their twin sons.
March 2024 | Bridge Bulletin |
77
March 2024

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