Iris Price Carr, a native of Taylor, Texas was the oldest of 3 children born in June of 1913 to educator parents. Her mother at 98 was the oldest living graduate of Prairie View College. It is then no wonder that Iris too chose Prairie View to further her education.
In 1932, Iris received a Bachelor of Science Degree with a double major in mathematics and English from Prairie View College. Like many women of her day, she taught school. During the summers she drove to New York to take classes at Columbia University and in 1944 she moved to Washington D. C. After WWII she worked at a black-owned electronics institute grading mathematics papers and teaching business English. In 1950, Iris joined the AFSA – The American Foreign Service Association -and was assigned to the Russian plain text office as a statistical clerk. She was an unheralded hero of the period and worked diligently to motivate others. These qualities served her well over the course of her career and in 1958, she became the Personnel Officer for the Office of Collection. She remained in the personnel and administrative field, fighting diligently, though quietly, for better opportunities for underutilized employees until her retirement in 1971.
As much fun as we are now having in the ABA – can you imagine being cute as a button at the Atlantic City Nationals in 1948 - winning the mixed pairs game at age 35. Iris could! Just as she was an unheralded hero in her career – I can’t imagine the ABA without Iris Carr. She did so much for so long.
Iris’ husband Dewey Carr was the Eastern Section VP as well as the National Vice President. They were a powerful force in the ABA. Iris was national secretary of the ABA – computing awards for each game ….paper/pencil-wise. her brother –in-law, Kermit Ross - her sister, Jewel’s husband - was secretary of the ABA and upon his demise in 1960, Iris was asked to complete his term. Of course – she agreed. Christina Jones was elected for the next term as secretary. She also died during her tenure. Iris was again asked to complete the term and again she did. This is Iris’ legacy in the ABA. She always did all that she could do to make it better for all of us.
Iris initiated the Life Membership/Merit Award Committee and was a chairman of the committee for many years and then proudly served as Chairman Emeritus.
Iris was a founding member of the Duos – a 16 member couples’ club in the Washington D C Bridge Unit – a club established to give wives the opportunity to play with their husbands, who otherwise did not play with them in tournaments. She was also a founding member of the Dubridgettes, a women’s club in the Washington Bridge Unit that was organized to give them something to do while their husbands played bridge with the Bridge Masters, a male club.
Even though she resided in Dallas and was an active member of both the Challenge DBC and the Hearts and Diamonds DBC for many years, she maintained her membership with the Duos and Dubridgettes and traveled to Washington every two years to entertain them.
She was the first editor of the Mid-Atlantic Newsletter – now called the Review.
When the ABA was financially strapped, Iris solicited and received donations from those of us who are life members. True to form, she’s always willing to help whenever there’s a need. She has also chaired the ABA National Fundraising Committee, Publicity Committee … which in mathematics means – I can’t possibly list all of them but you get the pattern.
Iris was a keynote speaker in Atlanta at the opening of the Headquarters. In part this is what she said.
“One member asked – Iris why are you doing all this work – I replied – I’ve been so grateful to have bridge in my life and I like the people that bridge attracts. I like the mental exercise it affords, and I want it to be here for all the nice people coming after me. It’s like a poem I learned in high school.
