We are very sorry to report the sudden death of Jeff Millership, a long standing active member of the union. Jeff was a former chairperson of both the NIBU and the IBU. Our deepest sympathy to his wife Sandie.
A tribute from Philip Dufton
“I met Jeff over fifty years ago when we were both newcomers to Northern Ireland. We quickly became and remained friends despite him being an avid Manchester City supporter. Jeff had a successful and demanding career in Queen’s University but also found time for his love of bridge. Indeed he continued to play with success in NIBU competitions right up to his death.
Jeff was always in demand as a partner not only for his bridge ability but more importantly because of his courteous and supportive behaviour to his partners and opponents. I enjoyed our partnership, although it was a bit of a shock when after several months, we discovered that we had been playing completely different defensive signals! Jeff’s most important partnership both in bridge and in life was with his beloved wife, Sandie. They were a pleasure to play with or against and their hospitality was second to none.
Jeff was a modest and unassuming man. As such, it was possible to underestimate his contributions both to bridge and to the wider community. He was simply one of those people who you could absolutely rely on and there are many people in Ireland, who have reason to be grateful to Jeff. We will miss you.”