Jack Scott
On a late stroll in Amsterdam
Mother said “Life is short and death is sure”. Why did that have to be the thing she was right about?
My friend Jack Scott died Sunday. He was enjoying watching his grandson play soccer and had a hemorrhaging stroke, effectively destroying his brain.
Doctors kept him on life support until his organs could be harvested to help others. Jack was a good guy to the very end, and then beyond.
We had just spent two weeks with Jack and Carol on a river cruise in Europe. When we weren’t sightseeing, we were playing bridge in the lounge. I’ve played with and against him for years, and he was invariably a quiet-spoken gentleman at the table, and everywhere else.
Jack and Carol during lifeboat drill. Riverboats don’t have lifeboats.
Jack had a successful career as a programmer–he chose to be an independent contractor because he never wanted to manage anyone else, just to do his job well and go home to his wife and kids.
As a bridge player, he was one of the best, although too modest to admit to his own strengths. Jack played with Bruce Tuttle on the team that goes to Gatlinburg every year, and they could be counted on to bring back good scores. He shared the house with us, but was more likely to go to his room and read than stay up and obsessively go over the hands card by card–he just played them well and moved on.
His funeral will be Tuesday, November 4 at 11 am. Sunset View Cemetery, 101 Colusa Avenue, El Cerrito. Don’t send flowers, sign up to be an organ donor.
T
Totally Unauthorized 
Very sorry.
Very sorry to hear this. Jack and Ken were a long-time mainstay at Table 1 in Doug’s in Piedmont. First Ken (a few years ago), now Jack. Outside of bridge, I did not know Jack…. but you can tell a lot during a 5 minute bridge hand.. Jack was a great bridge player…. very insightful… and was always able to turn a bridge disaster (usually by his opponents) into something that can be easily forgotten by all. At the table, Jack managed successful squeezes with aplomb… he pulled off many great plays… he had that canny insight as to what the defenders were thinking.
It was ALWAYS a pleasure to sit at Table 1.
Jack, you graced the bridge table and made everyone around you that much better for having known you.
I’ll miss you.
So sorry. I never missed an opportunity to play with Jack. Had a great 67% game on Thursday, Oct 16 2014 at EBCBC He was the best. I will surely miss him.
Ravi
A great gentleman; such a horrible loss. Pedro will never be the same.
Jack was an excellent bridge player and a dear man. Jim’s and my hearts go out to Carol and his family.
Jack was one of the nicest, most genuine guys I know. He was a rare superb bridge player who shared being captain of the ship. He was thoughtful, considerate, and just an all around wonderful person.
Jack was my son’s father-in-law. He was a fine man, who set a wonderful example in the way he lived his life. It was a privilege to know him. He will be greatly missed by the many people who loved him.
Damn it, Chris. I’m really sorry. Was a very good guy, and a great player.
Too many bridge players dying lately. Hits home when it’s a bud and a good guy.
Take care of you. And, yes, I signed up years ago, to be an organ donor.
Booker and I were so saddened to hear that Jack had passed away. We had a very pleasant conversation with him at the last unit game about your river cruise. He was such a such a nice, low-key guy – always a pleasure to see. Carol, our hearts go out to you and your family. We will miss Jack at the bridge table.
Such a loss. Thanks for honoring Jack.
We will miss Jack terribly. Although we dropped out of the bridge scene years ago, we have lots of Jack-and-Carol memories to cherish – most recently laughing at each others’ stories, being amazed at how similar some of our experiences have been, being impressed by bridge prowess in a quiet-ish kitchen table game, enjoying Oakland A’s and Mexican food. We heard how much he was (they were) looking forward to the river cruise. Thanks for posting this, Chris – see you Tuesday. Carol, no words can express…. We’ll be there for you when you are ready to get out and go do something.
Jack and Carol have been very close (may I say ‘best’?) friends with my late husband John and I for over 40 years. In fact, we were all together on a cruise when John passed away. Jack was one of my favorite people and always a great friend. I will miss him terribly. Carol, I love you and will always be there for you.
What a shock to the bridge world and to friends of Jack everywhere. Dan and I have played as teammates with Jack over the years, and he was the epitome of good sportsmanship–gracious in victory and defeat, with never a harsh word, and always with his sense of humor intact. When he suffered his near fatal heart attack a year ago, we had been in the midst of a team game and Jack’s first comment to Dan in recovery was “really–I can’t believe we won that match!?” Jack and Dan had a 70% NAOP qual game recently, which made Dan quite happy, but the bridge triumphs to Jack were always secondary to the joy he took in his family–his long and happy marriage to Carol, his pride in his son and daughter and grandkids. Jack was the first to say that his was a “misspent youth”–if that was indeed the case, then we wish upon all our progeny such a misspent youth if the end result is an inspirational man like Jack Scott! Dan and I find a small measure of comfort in the vision of Ken White greeting his dear friend for many happy heavenly bridge games.
Linda and Dan Friedman
Jack’s prowess at the bridge table was rivaled only by his gentlemanly manner. Thank you Chris for your heartfelt tribute.
Terry Terzian
Chris, thanks for your remembrance. Jack was a terrific, tough opponent (never had the chance to partner him) and the kind of person that I like to think all bridge players are — smart, kind, forgiving. I especially appreciated that he would recognize me and say hi at tournaments even though I am not, and likely will never be, in his strata. Everyone who came in contact with him will miss him.
Tom McGuire
Thank you Chris. I did not realize that we lost Jack until I saw your face book posting about thanksgiving. Like most people on this blog, I knew him through bridge, never with him but against him for the better part of a decade, on and off. Coming in the heels of the loss of Ken White, this is a tough loss to stomach. Jack was a man of quiet strength. His simple demeanor disguised a precise and competitive bridge spirit. In their hey days, Ken and Jack were as effective a pair as anyone else in Northern California. But you would not know that if you talked to Jack who was as always self effacing and unassuming. I would like to think Jack and Ken are resuming their partnership in heaven cutting their teeth against the toughest of competition.
So long my friend……Our prayers are with Carol and rest of the family.
Although it has been many years since we left the El Cerrito area, we so appreciated Jack and Carol’s hospitality and graciousness. Jack was not only a fine bridge player, but a wonderful host and genuine nice guy. We cannot believe he is gone. People like Jack are irreplaceable.
Tom and Janice Quinlan