Richard Katz
Carol Ritter
Richard Katz earned his ACBL Diamond Life Master rating (5,000 MPs) this past month. Richard has lived in the area about 10 years. He has played duplicate bridge at Sun Lakes Duplicate Bridge Club (SLDBC) for the past 10 years. Until his wife Charlotte passed a year and a half ago, they were a very steady partnership. He will forever cherish the life and love she gave him.
Here is Richard’s story:
He grew up in Houston, Texas. He and his cousin sat in and watched their parents play bridge until, at the age of 14 or 15, they decided they would learn the game. They read Charles Goren’s book on bridge and went to a sectional tournament where they won the novice trophy. They then studied all the bridge books available and continued to play in tournaments.
Richard attended the University of Texas, then joined the Air Force. They eventually offered him advancement education, with an MBA degree from Florida State University. In addition to bridge, Richard’s other hobby was playing the viola in symphony orchestras in Alexandria, Mesa, and Chandler.
He met his wife Charlotte in Macon, Ga., where an acquaintance set them up as bridge partners. They married and moved for Air Force assignments in Anchorage and Washington, D.C. They had access to “Space Available” flights and ended up traveling worldwide, occasionally playing bridge in several countries.
Charlotte was adamant that they play bridge as a partnership, and they did so until she passed.
Richard is still active in SLDBC and continues to do well.