NATCHEZ, LA
March 1, 1939-Dec. 12, 2020
Johnnie Lee Brewer, 81, died Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020, at his home in Natchez. A memorial service to honor his life will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21 at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home.
John was born March 1, 1939, to John Lee and Lois Lamons Brewer in Konowa, Okla.
In the early 1940s his family moved to Colorado and he spent much of his childhood in Denver. He excelled in athletics and played baseball and threw the discus in high school. He graduated from South High School in Denver in 1957.
John attended University of Colorado Boulder for a year, then decided to enlist in the US Air Force. He was stationed for three years in France and operated flight simulators. He enjoyed it very much, because he had the opportunity to travel around Europe while he was there. He eagerly signed up for another three years, but then ended up being stationed in Duluth, Minn., maintaining missiles, which he found was not nearly as fun. He attained the rank of Technical Airman (E-6) at the time of his discharge.
After completing military service, John attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in physics in 1968.
He met the love of his life, Donna Jean Murray, in Fort Collins, Colo., about a month before they both graduated from Colorado State. They married four months later on Aug. 31,1968, in Santa Rosa, Calif.
Shortly after moving to California, John started working at San Francisco State University in the Audio-Visual department, where he repaired audio and video equipment. Later in his career he specialized in information technology and computer networking. He retired from SF State in 2004, after 36 years of employment.
After retirement, John and Donna moved to Natchez. He attended the First Presbyterian Church in Natchitoches. He was also a member of the Lions Club.
John had many hobbies. He enjoyed photography and videography. He also loved to read, travel and study foreign languages. He was a talented chess player and a member of chess clubs and played in tournaments. He enjoyed comedy and loved telling humorous stories. After retirement, he also took painting classes and enjoyed writing.
John loved children, especially young children. He enjoyed doing magic and card tricks, and even performed at a few children’s birthday parties. He also enjoyed sharing his love of science and math with children. He volunteered in his children’s elementary school classes, sharing math puzzles and games he had created with the students. In his later years he also enjoyed playing Santa Claus at Christmas.
He was predeceased by his parents and granddaughter, Amanda Catherine Rozman.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Donna of Natchez; son, John Murray Brewer of South San Francisco, Calif.; daughter, Michelle Lee Rozman and husband Ronald William Rozman of Vacaville, Calif.; granddaughter, Julianne Lauren Rozman of Vacaville; and his brother, Raymond Brewer of Lakewood, Colo.
In lieu of flowers please send donations to First Presbyterian Church, 114 Bienville, Natchitoches, LA 71457.