Lefty Brewer

Lawrence “Lefty” Brewer, 85, of Faulkton, passed away, Saturday, October 13, 2007 at the Faulkton Area Medical Center.

A celebration of life service was held at 11:00a.m., Wednesday, October 17 at the United Church of Faulkton with Rev. Mike Ward officiating. Burial was in the Faulkton Cemetery with Military Honors. Visitation was held from 1:00-7:00p.m., Tuesday, October 16 at the Luce Funeral Home, Faulkton with a prayer service to be held at 7:00p.m.

Lawrence Brewer was born August 7, 1922 to J. Louis and Lizzie (Hogg) Brewer at the family home near Faulkton. He grew up on a farm and attended the Lafoon School. It was when he was a pitcher in junior baseball league that he got the nickname that almost everyone would know him by the rest of his life, “Lefty.”

Lefty graduated from Faulkton High School in 1941 and shortly after went to McCook, Nebraska where he worked on airport construction. On January 21, 1943 he was inducted in the United States Army. He served in the European Theatre with the 102nd Cavalry Mechanized Reconnaissance Squadron. They were in on the Normandy Invasion at Omaha Beach. Lefty was wounded, sent back to England and hospitalized, then rejoined his outfit in January 1945 during the Battle of the Bulge. He had two and a half years overseas duty and was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Arrowhead. He received his honorable discharge on October 27, 1945. After returning home he helped his father on the farm and did some farming on his own.

On July 7, 1947 he married Beverly Metz. Lefty took flying lessons and received private, commercial and instructor licenses. For six and a half years he was a spray pilot. He also was an electrician and helped wire many of the local farms as REA was just coming in at that time. On January 1, 1951 he began his 30 years of being a rural mail carrier.

He was a member of the United Church of Faulkton and at one time served as chairman of the trustees. He was a life member of Foncannon Post # 102 American Legion and also VFW Post # 3179 and was a post commander of both organizations. When the former VFW club was built he was chairman of the building committee. He also helped with the building of the first golf clubhouse and with the rebuilding of the second golf clubhouse. He particularly enjoyed his family, bowling, hunting, golfing and fishing.

Survivors include his wife Beverly of Faulkton; one son: Gary (Karen) of Rapid City; one daughter: Janice of Sioux Falls; four grandchildren: Boone, Buckley, Brandon and Brianna; three great-grandchildren and one brother: James (Pat) Brewer of Ethan.

Preceding him in death were his parents and two sisters, Dorene and Vivian.