Melva I. Brewer 1915 - 1987

BREWER, POTTS, HIGHTREE

Posted By: Viv Reeves (email)
Date: 2/14/2014 at 11:46:14

Onawa Sentinel, Onawa, (Monona), Iowa, 30 Apr 1987:

MELVA I. BREWER

Melva I. Brewer, age 72, of Omaha and formerly of Decatur, passed away on Saturday evening, April 11, 1987 at the Burgess Memorial Hospital in Onawa, Iowa, after a brief illness.

She was born on February 10, 1915 at Winnebago, Neb. to John M. and Nola (Potts) Hightree and was married to Henry (Hank) Brewer on April 17, 1937 at Elk Point, S. D. Melva and Hank lived in and around the Decatur area all of their married lives. She became an elementary school teacher shortly after her graduation from high school and Wayne State College. Melva taught in many of the rural school districts in the Decatur vicinity including the Farrens, Deman, Busse and the 6-R School Districts. She also taught in the Macy and Decatur Schools intermittently for many years. Melva was honored in 1985 by the Decatur Alumni Association with an Outstanding Teacher Award. Mr. Brewer passed away on March 1, 1978.

Survivors include her mother, Nola Hightree of Decatur; seven sons, Terry Brewer of Urbandale, Iowa, Jerry Brewer of Omaha, Lonnie Brewer of Greeley, Paul Brewer of Lyons, John Brewer and Clark Brewer of Onawa, and Ronald Brewer of Norfolk; two daughters, Fanchon Andersen of Omaha and Janelle Britton of Sioux city; two brothers, Herb Hightree of Walthill and Paul (Bus) Hightree of Whiting, Iowa; thirty-one grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren; several nieces and nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Hank; one son, Lowell; three grandchildren, Terry Jene, Angela Ray and Michelle Sue; and two brothers, Earl and Bill.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, 1987 at the United Methodist Church in Decatur with Rev. Marion H. Knoell officiating. Interment was in Hillcrest Cemetery at Decatur.

A prayer service was held Monday evening at the Hamel & Peck Funeral Home in Tekamah, Neb.