American Contract Bridge League
Unit 484   District 20

Profile

Noreen Tibbet

(Published July 2002)

Noreen Tibbet is a rarity in this valley of California transplants—she was born and reared in Medford. In fact, she has the distinction of being the first baby girl born in Medford's Sacred Heart Hospital. Her daughter, Kathie, was the first baby girl born in the then new Rogue Valley Hospital in 1957. Coincidence? You be the judge.

By the time Noreen graduated from grade school the family, because of her Dad's job, was on the move. Noreen graduated from Roseburg High School; she studied at Oregon State University for a short time. Then she married and gave birth to four children—Keri, Kevin, Kathie and Kenneth. Concurrent with rearing the children, she helped her husband in the grocery business and in a restaurant and bar business. Noreen retired ten years ago and now lives with her husband, James, on a one-and-one half acre parcel of land on the Rogue River, in Gold Hill. Her children, all grown, live in Oregon. She is proud of her four granddaughters.

Noreen says her Aunt Hilda was a great influence on her love for bridge; she taught Noreen the game. Hilda Clifford was a beloved member of our bridge clubs until her death in 2001.

Noreen's grandfather, August Singler, was a popular Jackson County Sheriff who was killed in the line of duty while a young man some eighty years ago. He left a wife and eight children. The Singler family members were all avid card players.

After retiring, Noreen took a few bridge lessons from Virginia Thompson in Klamath Falls. Thus began her duplicate bridge life. She held offices on the Klamath Board while living there. She began visiting our clubs after moving to Gold Hill. Noreen says, "I could never play 'kitchen bridge' again after experiencing duplicate." Our club members "are nice people and good competitive players."

Noreen has amassed 386 master points including 15 gold. Her goal has always been to be a Life Master, but she is finding those gold points to be elusive and hard to get. She remembers a local tournament when she and Fran Levi won a cup for winning.

Noreen is a stitchery expert and still pursues this hobby in her spare time. She formerly taught stitchery and sold kits. Lace net darning is a specialty of hers. She thinks that stitchery is good exercise for her fingers, and bridge is good exercise for her mind. She believes that Easybridge! is the greatest factor in promoting duplicate in our Valley.

She is an asset to us and a vital member of our Board.