Gerald "Jerry" Lewis Brewer

Gerald Lewis Brewer, “Jerry”, was received into his eternal home by his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on April 3, 2020. There he was reunited with many loved family and friends. He is missed by his loving wife and family who grieve for him at this time of separation.

Jerry was born on May 31, 1933, to Gerald Petersen Brewer and Flossie Lewis, the first of 15 children, in the only place he ever wanted to live, Pinedale, Arizona. Even though he never wanted to leave Pinedale, due to family financial needs, his family moved from Pinedale and lived in many different towns across Arizona. The first Christmas present he remembered, from when he was 5 years of age, was a double-bladed axe, which incidentally came with his first job, the responsibility to keep the kitchen stove supplied with wood. He never stopped working with wood after that. He left Snowflake High School at 13 to work on the family sawmill and became a master sawyer and later a logger by trade. While in his teens, he became an expert woodsman. He not only provided wild game for the family table, but trapped for furs. He was an expert marksman.  Few could match his knowledge and skill when it came to hunting and shooting. 

He met his lifelong sweetheart at a dance when he was 19 and she was 16. They were married in the Mesa Arizona Temple, March 10, 1953, for time and all eternity.  Shortly following their marriage, Jerry was drafted into the Army during the Korean Conflict. After his service, he returned to Pinedale, where he lived the rest of his life with his sweetheart; together raising their ten children, who were the pride of their lives.

He was an avid outdoorsman becoming a member of the Arizona Big 10 Club in 1963. Fishing and hunting were a big part of his life, but he always made time to help others, whether it was his family or strangers. He taught his children to work hard and enjoy the world around them. He loved to laugh, tease others, and had a keen sense of humor. He looked for the good in life. He loved working in the woods of Arizona with his family, creating jobs for others, and harvesting timber and pulp wood. He built many homes throughout his life. In his later years, he created beautiful rustic wood furniture, home accents, and construction materials.  He loved his country and served his community on the Show Low School Board.

 Jerry served diligently and selflessly in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as a bishop, teacher, temple worker, and loving friend. In his later years, he especially loved working in the Snowflake Temple with his sweetheart. His favorite book was The Book of Mormon, which he could be found studying daily. His religion was his life; he not only believed it - he lived it. It directed everything he did. Jesus was his guide.

To those that did not know him, his demeanor often appeared gruff or intimidating, but beneath the rough exterior was a heart of pure gold. His acts of kindness were many and most of them are known only to him, because the receiver, whether they were down the street or around the world, never knew their benefactor. He was always willing to give of his means to help others. He always placed the needs of others, especially his children, above his own. He was a hard worker, rising early and often working late into the night to provide for his ten children. He was a man of courage, integrity, honesty, and loyalty. If you needed something done, you knew you could count on Jerry Brewer to do it. He is a hero to his children and grandchildren.

Jerry is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Dorothy Jean Penrod; nine of his ten children; Dorinda O’Dair, Brent Brewer, Kent Brewer, Lucinda Keller, Barry Brewer, Kerry Brewer, Gerald Brewer, Lynnetta Montemurro, and Joseph Brewer; seven of his 14 brothers and sisters; 29 grandchildren, and 25 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his daughter, Arlinda Christina; his parents; his brothers, Everett, Hubert, Eddie, and Billy; and his sisters, Edith, Carla, and Josephine.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Gerald "Jerry" Lewis Brewer, please visit our floral store.