Lavern Brewer 1914-2003

BREWER, COONEY, SALVA, SMITH, KARRIKER, WALKOCZY, TRAPPE

Posted By: SGF (email)
Date: 4/5/2003 at 23:44:50

Lavern Brewer, 88, of Metuchen, NJ, died January 2, 2003 as the result of a stroke suffered in 1999.

"Bud" as he was known to his Iowa family and friends, was born April 18, 1914 to Harold and Claire (Cooney) Brewer of rural Postville. He attended the Bailey rural school and graduated with the class of 1933 from the Postville High School. After graduation he, his father and brother operated the family farm and trucking business. Lavern was an Army Veteran of World War II, serving two years in the European Theatre. Upon his return from service he was married to Helen Salva on May 29, 1946 in Postville, Iowa. They returned to the Brewer farm and remained there until 1953 at which time he and his family moved to Metuchen, NJ. He was employed by Gulton Industries in Metuchen for 27 years before retiring in 1981.

After retirement, Lavern kept busy mowing lawns and repairing vehicles, as he was an experienced mechanic. He was a Communicant of St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral in Metuchen and a member of St. Francis Knights of Columbus Council. He is survived by his wife, Helen; two sons, Carl of Dayton and Thomas (Claire) Brewer of Hallstead, Pennsylvania; two daughters, Linda (Thomas) Walkoczy of Piscataway and Pauline Brewer of Metuchen; two sisters, Rose Marie (Keith) Smith of Postville and Patricia (Grant) Karriker of Booneville, MO; two grandchildren, Michael Walkoczy of Piscataway and Deborah (Walkoczy) (Michael) Croes of Iowa City, Iowa.

He was predeceased by his parents, mother- and father-in-law Mr. and Mrs. Paul Salva, a sister, Mildred (Harold) Trappe, who died in 1966, and a brother Raymond Brewer who died in 1985.

Services were held at 8:30 a.m. on January 4, 2003, at Costello-Runyon Funeral Home, Metuchen, NJ, followed by a 9:00 a.m. funeral litergy at St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral. Interment was made at Our Lady of Hungary Cemetery in Hopelawn. Lavern was a loving father, grandfather and a wonderful brother.

©Postville Herald-Leader 2003

-source Postville Herald-Leader, January 29, 2003