- Date Of Birth: March 1st, 1926
- Date Of Death: November 13, 2017
- State: Indiana
Our mother, Margaret Kestner Brewer, died of natural causes on November 13, 2017. She was at home at the Franklin United Methodist Community.
Mother was born to Elmer Nicholas Kestner and Ina Elizabeth (Hamilton) Kestner in Brownstown, Indiana. She was an airplane mechanic during World War II (a true ”Rosie the Riveter”), a dental assistant, an elementary physical education teacher, a Peace Corps volunteer, a sorority house mother, and most importantly, a mother.
Her memory will be cherished by her eight children, Dr. Erich Brewer (Karen) of Raleigh, North Carolina; Dr. Gene Brewer (Anne); Dr. Jud Brewer (Dr.Rebecca); Derk Brewer; Cassandra Brewer Hurt (Richard); Berit Brewer Deal (Carl Jr., deceased); Dr. Clark Brewer (Cris) all of Bloomington, Indiana; Jeremiah Brewer of San Jose, California, as well as forty-two grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Elmer Nicholas Kestner Jr., her sisters Florence Kestner Sweet, and Mary Alice Kestner Harrod, as well as grandsons Gene Brewer Jr. and Michael Todd Brewer.
Margaret graduated from Brownstown High School. She earned her undergraduate degree at Butler University, and her Master’s Degree in Physical Education at Indiana University. In 1949 she married, later, settled her family in Bloomington, and in 1972 was divorced. While raising her children she worked as an elementary physical education teacher at Childs, Broadview, Grandview, Fairview, Marlin, McCalla, and University Elementary schools where she taught and nurtured the children of this community. Following her retirement from teaching, she joined the Peace Corps and served in Costa Rica. Always one to stay busy, Margaret then worked for years as a sorority mother at Indiana University and DePauw University and University of Southern Florida.
Throughout her life, Mother inspired us with her hard work to care for us and to provide for us, and still have the strength to hold us and wipe away our tears when we were sad or afraid. She emphasized to us the importance of enjoying the fun in life, and making time for friends and family.
We cherish memories of her single-handedly loading all eight of us into the car and going to Bryan Park Pool, or driving to Indianapolis to the State Fair, and even to see the Ringling Brothers Circus. Above all else in her time on Earth, Mother loved her church home at First United Methodist Church in Bloomington, and her family.
