spotlight on our 23 members

The most important part and the greatest joy of my life is my family, especially my 4 children and my 4 grandchildren.  I love dancing and cooking and bright colors.  My hobbies also include sewing, knitting, and crocheting.  I always keep a  good book close at hand.  I learned to play bid whist as a freshman in college.  Every afternoon, there was a mad dash to the student union to watch Dark Shadows and play cards.  I have had many great life experiences, and now my major goal in life is to be happy.

How about them......Chiefs?  I was born and raised in Kansas City, MO, the real Kansas City.  I grew up with the Chiefs when they played in the stadium on Brooklyn Avenue in the heart of the Black community.  I am a die hard Chiefs fan.  I was able to travel around the world with the US Air Force, then we landed in Austin.  My interest include football, traveling, reading, cooking, sewing, gardening, swing dancing, music (gospel, R&B, jazz and some country), dominoes and of course Bid Whist.  My passions are serving the Lord, studying the Word and my family.  I'm an IT Professional and my handle is DBA SQRD.

I was born in Brooklyn, NY and always possessed a sense of humor and have always been willing to offer a lending hand to someone in need of help.  I have a great love for family and a great fondness for being a sharing person.  As a young adult, I decided to spend some time in the armed forces serving my country, so I enlisted in the United States Air Force where I spent 4 years.  After leaving the service I spent the next 31 years working for the United States Postal Service from 1986 to 2017 as a mail handler and working in statistics, analyzing machine operations in my area.  Shortly after being hired at the Post Office I met the most amazing woman and have been married for the last 32 years and from our union we have 3 loving children and 7 grandchildren.  During this time I also decided to join the Masonic lodge and later became a Shriner.  I received an Associates Degree, a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting and a MBA in Forensic Accounting.  Some of my favorite things include traveling, Bid Whist, fishing, playing Chess, puzzling, reading and enjoying my friends in the Bid Whist clubs I'm a member of.  I also worked as the Assistant Manager for the East Austin Community Credit Union, in East Austin.  During this life, trials have come, but my unwavering Christian faith keeps me going.  Remember: "The grace of God will not take you where the mercy of God won't protect you."

 Glad to be in a city with a real bid whist club – and our first grandchild. Her dad, our son, lives here. We also spend time with our other son who lives in Oakland. Both of them, of course, learned bid whist as teenagers and play whenever they can. My career centered on winning fairness for working women, especially paid time for caregiving. I'm also a writer and love to read, play games, work out (water aerobics, zumba or cardio funk, pilates). Most of all, I love spending time with family and friends. 

 I'm a native of Detroit, Michigan.  I was a  licensed Cosmetologist in the state of Michigan.  I began a career at Ford Motor Company in 1978 and retired after 31 years of service.  My husband (Steve) and I moved to Austin, Texas in 2009.  I enjoy traveling, fishing and playing Bid Whist.  As a founding member of the Capitol City Card Club, along with my late husband, Jerome "Steve" Edmonds we were committed to promoting the game of Bid Whist.

Cyrenthia Ellis is a native of Chicago, Illinois.  Cyrenthia has been a member of the Capitol City Card Club for over 8 years.  Like so many, Cyrenthia started playing bid whist as a teenager during family gatherings.  There was never a reunion, picnic or party that did not have a bid whist game going on somewhere, on the site.  Everyone was invited to play; no one was ever too good for another person to play with or against.  It was all about the love of one another and the sharing of techniques, strategies and execution of the game - but of course there was an occasional trash talking too.  In addition to Bid Whist, Cyrenthia enjoys traveling, long distance bike rides, watching movies, and spending time with family and friends.

I was born in East Texas near Huntsville, Texas.  I spent 21 years in the United States Air Force and retired as an Air Force Mechanic.  After my stint in the Air Force, I spent the next 24 years working for the United States Postal Service as a Mail Handler.  I have a beautiful wife, 1 son and 2 beautiful daughters.  I am also proud to say I have 4 of the most amazing grandchildren anyone could have!  I love fishing, playing Bid Whist, shooting craps at the casino and spending time with family and friends.  I've retired from pool, dominoes, golf, fishing and boating.  I'm also known to many as, "Captin Midnight."

I was born in Lockhart, Texas and graduated from San Marcus High School.  I received my Bachelor of Science Degree at Southwest Texas State, now Texas State.  I taught Health Education and Physical Education for 32 years at Travis High School in Austin, Texas.  I coached basketball, track, volleyball and softball during my during my time there.  I was nominated Coach of the Year several times and also received nominations for Top Coach in Central Texas twice.  I married Howard Patterson in 1985 and together we ran our own trucking service for 35 years.  Howard and I loved our 3 sons, numerous grandchildren and 1 great-grandbaby.  I like reading, my fur baby Gus, loved my husband until his death in Oct 2023, sports, especially college volleyball.  I follow the Texas Longhorns women's volleyball team closely.  I love Bid Whist, playing KNOCK, vacationing, eating good food and the occasional casino run.

Little known fact is, I was born in Columbus, Ohio on Columbus Day.  I  spent my childhood growing up in Dallas, Texas mostly, however I spent a few years and summers in Ohio.  I served as C4's inaugural president for the first 6 1/2 years of our existence.  It was a pleasure helping to build and mold this club into what it's become today.  I learned the  game of Bid Whist in 2007 in about 2 hours one night with 8 enthusiast all teaching, instructing, partnering and yelling at me simultaneously.  Some of my favorite things that bring me joy are watching old black and white movies, cooking, ice cream, being with family, real and honest people, traveling, eating good food, going to see movies on the big screen, seeing plays, reading, observing God's creations, my dog Harrison and being able to express joy, love and happiness to those I love and appreciate.  My current and personal journey in life, is learning how to  "Truly Forgive" for MY own sake.  One of my favorite quotes is; "I shall pass through this world but once.  Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again."

Stephen Grellet (1773-1855) .

I am a retired school teacher.  I taught math and science for 30 years - 16 years in middle school and 14 years in high school.  I love playing Bid Whist, but my passion is playing dominoes.  I used to be a semi-professional poker player.  My goal is to totally retire from my 10 jobs.  I think I have Jamaican in my blood.  My motto:  "If it don't make dollars, it don't make cents!"  Finally -  Scared money won't make money

• 25 years of experience in the photography/videography field including set up, photo editing, video production, and postproduction
• Diversified portfolio includes Commercial Photography, Real Estate Photography, Portraits, Events, Headshot, Professional Models and Weddings
• Awarded over $100K in photography and video contracts with Bexar County, City of San Antonio, San Antonio Water System (SAWS), City of Austin, and the Department of Transportation (DOT)
• Photographer for San Antonio Blackbook Directory and Yearbook, Avista Products, and Taste of New Orleans
•  Selected 4 years consecutively as the photographer for the Bexar County Annual Small Business Convention
• Photographer for Strawbridge Studios covering all South Texas Schools, Grades K-12 (averaging 400 student photos per day)
• Passionate, dedicated learner that seeks out the latest technology and software systems to enhance skillset

•  I learned bid whist at an Atlanta foundry in my 20s and taught it to Ellen soon after we met nearly 50 years ago. Factory jobs kept fading so I went to college in Milwaukee in my late 30s and became a high school social studies teacher. After I retired, I ran for the school board there and served for 12 years. Then it was time to leave Wisconsin winters. Happy to be in Austin with our granddaughter and be part of this club. I also love to ride my bike, listen to music, kayak and watch TikTok. Best is time with our sons and their families, other loved ones and friends. 

 I was born and raised in Dale, Texas. I earned my under graduate degree from Huston-Tiillotson University in Business Administration. I have been working in higher education for the past 24 years.  I have one sibling, a sister.  I have one child, 4 grandchildren,  and 2 great-grandchildren. I love animals, especially frogs. I currently have 2 female cats, Possum and Raccoon, who I adore dearly. I also have fresh water fish. My favorite color is yellow. My favorite singer is Luther Vandross. I enjoy traveling, fishing, play cards, cooking, and spending time with my friends and family. I have been a member of the C4 family for 10 years.  This is my 10th year as secretary for C4, the only secretary we've had.  

Damone Williams hails from the Big City of Omaha, Nebraska, where due to his basketball prowess his photo still adorns the trophy case at Northwest High School.  He is a proud graduate of Morgan State University, where he still holds unbroken basketball records.  But, it was not until he landed in Austin that he earned the title "Superman", because of his powerful ability to lift two people from any Bid Whist table at the same time.