Bridge players are a different breed of people…they live, breathe and eat bridge…it’s their life, and they love the competition, the challenge and believe it or not, the excitement of the “sport.”  My next Islander, Mary Moebius, is one of those people.  If there’s a bridge game in Orange Beach, Gulf Shores or Foley, she’ll probably be there, holding her cards and bidding a 3 No Trump.

Mary was born in Hope, North Dakota, ninety years ago.  At that time, she says it was a small town of 800 people.  As of the 2000 census, it is now down to 303 -- not to be considered a bustling community, or a growing town back then, or today.  Mary’s dad was the only dentist in town, and survived by accepting chickens, and other barter, in exchange for working on teeth. Mary had two sisters, and 3 brothers.

She attended a fairly large high school that was a collection of all the children from all the surrounding towns.  And, to the pride of her parents, graduated Valedictorian of her class.  Her parents couldn’t afford to send her to college, but because of her grades and a determination to become someone, she went to nursing school, and graduated as an RN.

WWII (CBI – China/Burma/India) was on, so upon graduation and 'hearing the call,' she enlisted in the Army.  Shortly thereafter, she was commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant.

While in the army, she met and began to date her future husband, Charles, who was a 1^st Lieutenant.  Both were sent to California on assignment, and it was there that Charles and Mary got married.  Four days after marrying, he was send to the Philippines, and she was sent to India.

She ended up on a small base/airfield in India about 80 miles from Calcutta. It was hot, dirty and rough assignment.  Mary was there a year when she got tuberculosis.  She was sent home to recover in a hospital in Memphis and received a medical discharge from the Army.

A year later, Charles finished his term of service and got out of the army.   He finished his engineering degree, and became a professor of engineering at the University of Arizona, and then Iowa State.  It was there, in Iowa, that their first baby, Mary Elizabeth, now a retired NY Union College librarian, was born.

While in Iowa, Charles was called up for the Korean War, where his expertise in Engineering was needed in El Paso, Texas.  He served his country well.  Eventually, they returned to Arizona where Mary had their second baby, Eric - now a lawyer with exploration and production of oil and gas in Texas, and then their third baby, Jana - disabled, and presently in a disabled Vets facility.  Then came their fourth baby, Patricia - now a very successful financial planner in Connecticut.  

After the war, they moved to California where Charles went to work for Lockheed Aeronautics.  They lived in California for about 4 years when Lockheed transferred Charles to Cincinnati, where Mary had two more children.  Mary's fifth child, A.J.,  is a Pediatrician in Cincinnati and her sixth, Joe, is a chef in Middletown, Connecticut. 

In 1965 they moved to East Hampton, Connecticut where they lived there for the next 30 years -- until 1991.  While in Connecticut, Mary had two more babies.  Her seventh child, Martin, does title and lease work for E&P in Pennsylvania and her eighth child, Jacqueline, is a Physical Education teacher.  

As if raising a bunch of children wasn’t enough, Mary took a Nurse Practitioner course, and in 1967, after graduating as an ARNP (Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner), became the head nurse at the Mt. Sinai Hospital Complex in Middletown, Connecticut. There, she was in charge of employee’s health in this huge hospital.  In 1984, at the age of 62 and having worked 16 years with the hospital, Mary retired.

Mary's friends told her about Gulf Shores, so they came to check it out, and loved it.  In 1991 they moved here, after buying a condo on the beach.  They loved the water, and they loved the area. 

In 2004 Charles died.  Mary was devastated, but her strength and family helped her deal with her loss.  Mary and Charles had been inseparable after retirement, and suddenly there was a big empty space. 

Next came Hurricane Ivan -- and we all know the havoc it raised with all of our lives here on the Island.  Mary was homeless, or at least displaced, while repairs were done from all the damage.  As we all remember, Gulf Shores took a direct hit.  For several months, Mary moved up to Cincinnati, where she lived with her son. 

Even with her family everywhere but here, she couldn’t stand being away from what had become her home.  As soon as repairs were done, she moved back to Gulf Shores, and has no regrets.

Her days now are filled with BRIDGE (4 or 5 days a week), going to the post office, grocery shopping, cooking or eating out at King Neptune’s.  She told me she loved bridge, loves the people that she plays cards with and enjoys playing in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Foley.  Mary is a quiet lady, but with a story to tell.  We touched on it enough to know that we are fortunate to have such a determined and accomplished woman here ON THE ISLAND.