‘Friends first and bridge players second’

A half-century of fellowship and bridge at Calvary

By FRAN MORELAND JOHNS

Four players, 52 cards — the game of bridge builds loyal followers. A few of them gathered in Judith and Fred Heuser’s home in San Francisco’s Ingleside Terraces neighborhood one night in 1971 for dinner, socializing and to talk about starting a bridge group.

Today — 55 years years later — the cards are still being dealt, now in the library of Calvary Presbyterian on the corner of Jackson and Fillmore on the second Friday afternoon of every month. The faces change, but the game is the same. And the group remains “a community built on fun, fellowship and good food,” says relative newcomer Steve Mico. 

A new six-week beginners class will launch on September 9, meeting from 1 to 3 p.m. in the library of Calvary church. It’s designed to introduce newcomers to the game or to help people a little rusty brush up on their skills. The class is open to all.

In the olden days, the fellowship quickly grew. Its founding members included young couples Pam and David Tudor and Priscilla and Jim Dwyer — and the Tudors and the Dwyers are still regulars. While juggling babysitters with careers and volunteer jobs, they welcomed an evening out. In those early decades, the players would meet in each other’s homes for dessert before bridge began. “There were eight or 10 couples originally,” Judith Heuser recalls — she and her husband Fred were charter members — “and often we had to split up and meet in two separate homes.”

As their children grew up and moved away, the games went on. Carol Livingston and her husband began playing a decade or so after it all began. Her husband, Barry, died several years ago, but Carol continues to play. She and Priscilla Dwyer both fondly recall February group meetings over the years, which always took place at Joy and Jerry Pate’s home, with Joy hosting a festive Valentine’s event with homemade desserts. Games were suspended in the summers, but there were occasional gatherings at a Sonoma vacation home.

Bridge and fellowship stopped during the pandemic, though many of the friends kept in touch. Eventually the Covid virus was contained, church doors reopened and people began to play bridge again. The group reassembled for a 50th anniversary party at the Heusers’ home, where it all began, before the Heusers moved to Connecticut to be closer to their sons. A quartet from the San Francisco Cable Car Chorus, Fred Heuser’s barbershop group, enlivened that celebration. But after the anniversary party, bridge games were still few and far between.

Pam and David Tudor spearheaded a revival of the bridge group. There are usually three or four tables, with members of the group taking turns providing prizes and snacks.

The group continues to evolve. Steve Mico and Bob Britt are among the newcomers. They left Chicago after retiring and found a new home in San Francisco, where Britt soon found Calvary — and the bridge group. “We enjoy a wonderful mix of longtime players and newcomers,” Mico says, “bringing together Calvary attendees and neighborhood residents alike. It is a delightfully eclectic group with a wide range of backgrounds and playing styles.” 

As word spread of the monthly games, Steve and Pam Tudor began to hear from people who said their game was too rusty to join in and others who had never learned bridge but thought they’d like to give it a try. Thus the beginners class was planned.

“We’re thrilled with the response so far,” Mico says. “It’s met our expectations, and others have expressed interest but have scheduling conflicts.”

Enrollment is still open for the new class for beginners, which will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on six consecutive Wednesdays from September 9 to October 14. The cost is $120, or $20 per session. For more information, or to sign up, contact Pam Tudor (patudor4@gmail.com) or Steve Mico (drbsfm@gmail.com).

One thing has remained constant through the decades: “We are friends first and bridge players second,” Mico says.