Nancy Lois Gordon Gruver (August 12, 1931 – January 28, 1990) was an American

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...

player. She won more than a dozen

American Contract Bridge League The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) is a governing body for contract bridge in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. It is the largest such organization in North America having the stated mission ''"to promote, grow and sustain th ...

(ACBL) "national" championships and finished second in two world championships. Gruver graduated from the

University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...

and lived for some time in

Ellicott City, Maryland Ellicott City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in, and the county seat of, Howard County, Maryland, United States. Part of the Baltimore metropolitan area, its population was 65,834 at the 2010 census, making it the mo ...

. She died of a heart attack at

Howard County General Hospital Howard County General Hospital is a 225-bed, not-for-profit health care provider located in Columbia, Maryland. History Prior to the construction of Howard County General, most emergency services were provided outside Howard County. In Baltimore ...

in Columbia, survived by her husband John A. Gruver, one daughter and one son. In

World Bridge Federation The World Bridge Federation (WBF) is the international governing body of contract bridge. The WBF is responsible for world championship competitions, most of which are conducted at a few multi-event meets on a four-year cycle. The most prestigiou ...

(WBF) competition, her second-place finishes were in 1966, playing with Sue Sachs in the second quadrennial

World Women Pairs Championship The World Women Pairs Championship is a bridge championship held every four years as part of the World Bridge Championships. It is restricted to women pairs only. Results World meets commonly run for 15 days on a schedule whose details vary. In 2 ...

, and in 1981

Venice Cup The Venice Cup is a biennial world championship contract bridge tournament for national of Women. It is contested every odd-number year under the auspices of the World Bridge Federation (WBF), alongside the Bermuda Bowl (Open) and d'Orsi Bowl (S ...

, playing with

Edith Kemp Edith Freilich née Seamon (September 8, 1911 - May 14, 2011) was an American bridge player, "one of the world's greatest female bridge players". As a player in important tournaments, she was also known as Edith Seligman, Edith Kemp, and Edith Kemp ...

on the 6-person USA women team.

Bridge accomplishments

Wins

North American Bridge Championships North American Bridge Championships (NABC) are three annual bridge tournaments sponsored by the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL). The "Spring", "Summer", and "Fall" NABCs are usually scheduled in March, July, and November for about eleven da ...

(14) **

Rockwell Mixed Pairs The Rockwell Mixed Pairs is a national bridge championship held regularly at the Spring American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC). The Rockwell Trophy, donated by Helen Rockwell in 1946, is presented to the w ...

(1) 1977 **

Whitehead Women's Pairs The Whitehead Women's Pairs bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC). The Whitehead Women's Pairs is a four-session matchpoint (MP) pairs event with two qualifying ...

(2) 1965, 1986 **

Smith Life Master Women's Pairs The Smith Life Master Women's Pairs North American bridge championship is held at the fall American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC). The Smith Life Master Women's Pairs is a four session MP pairs event, two ...

(3) 1967, 1979, 1981 **

Machlin Women's Swiss Teams The Machlin Women's Swiss Teams North American bridge championship is held at the spring American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC). The Machlin Women's Swiss Teams is a four-session Swiss Teams event with tw ...

(1) 1982 **

Wagar Women's Knockout Teams The Wagar Women's Knockout Teams national bridge championship is held at the summer American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC). The Wagar Women's Knockout Teams is a knock-out team event. The event is restric ...

(6) 1966, 1973, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984 **

Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match The Mixed Board-a-Match Teams is a bridge competition held at the summer American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) North American Bridge Championship (NABC). From 2010 the event is officially the Freeman Mixed Board-a-Match Teams, as it is contested ...

(1) 1975

Runners-up

(1) 1976 **

(2) 1975, 1980 **

(1) 1969

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gruver, Nancy 1931 births 1990 deaths American contract bridge players Venice Cup players People from Ellicott City, Maryland University of Maryland, College Park alumni