Del Ryan

Del Ryan was a member of Mackay Contract Bridge Club for 45 years. She joined the Club around 1975 with a friend from down the road Milly Swanton. They learnt the art of Bridge and would spend many hours at the club and in the car discussing the hands and laughing about life. Bridge gave her a community, outside of her family.   Some in the club become lifelong friends and along with their husbands, travelling companions.

As she progressed in the Bridge world she met her kindred spirit bridge partner Monica Darley.  These two became a force to be reckoned with.  They teamed up with Kath Poole and Nancy Martin.  This awesome foursome would travel the length and breath of the east coast of Australia going to all the competitions, even if they only got to some once or twice.  Canberra and the Gold Coast were two particular favourites.  Locally, the Barrier Reef Congress and competitions in Rockhampton and Townsville were always “on the cards”.  Mackay Club was, and still is, a great club for travelling away, so after bridge there was  a motel room or a restaurant that everyone would gather to, to enjoy each other’s company.

Del was the Providore for about 15 years and was active in keeping the club running along with her teammates.

Del played bridge with her daughter every Wednesday for 20 years. It was a special time, and they often went away for competitions as well. Del enjoyed her bridge until the month before she passed in June 2023.

She was loved by all up and down the central coast of Queensland. She greeted everyone with a lovely smile, a cheery “hello” and a bad joke (she never remembered the punch line)