Margaret Brewer

BREWER, Margaret Laura August 23rd,1929- February 6th, 2020 The family of Margaret Laura (Peggy) Brewer (nee Green) regretfully announces her passing on February 6th, 2020 at the age of 90. Peggy will be lovingly remembered by her children Lyle Brewer (Clarice), Karen Hutchinson (Sid), Barry Brewer (Jan), Valerie Genaille (Frank) and Jenelle Brewer. She will also be missed by her thirteen grandchildren, Laura, Holly, Lindsey, Brittany, Nichole, Dan, Connor, Meagan, Colin, Lane, Evan, Draigan and Chris and seven great grandchildren, Kenleigh, SJ, Jacob, Tucker, Shia, Gus and Marshall. She is also survived by siblings Betty Newby, Ralph Green, Helen Miller, Pauline Cardella, Joyce Green and Marshall Green; sisters-in-law, Mary Anderson, Betty Peitzche, Joanne Brewer, Charlotte McKenzie, Linda Williams and Darlene Brewer; and numerous nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. Peggy was predeceased by her husband, William Brewer, and her daughter Kathleen (Kathi) Brewer, her parents Arthur and Laura Green, brothers Ken, Layton and Eldon Green and sister Olga Green. Peggy was born and raised in Albany, PEI, to Art and Laura Green. She graduated from St. Dunstan’s University in 1950. She moved out West the same year and found work as a chambermaid in Jasper, Alberta. She learned of teaching positions with the Dept. of Indian Affairs and soon found herself teaching and living at the Indian Day School at Six Mile Creek on the Okanagan Indian Reserve near Vernon, BC. The school also doubled as a social centre and that’s where she met William Brewer, whom she eventually married. They built a family home at Irish Creek in the 1950s where they raised their family. When the Indian Day schools closed, Peggy took a job as an Education Counselor at the Dept. of Indian Affairs District Office in Vernon and assisted aboriginal students from the Kootenays, the Okanagan and the Shuswap, travelling many miles every year until the closure of the District Office in 1975. Peggy was a devout Catholic and helped run St. Benedict’s and St. Theresa’s Catholic Churches on the Okanagan Reserve. She was well known in the Catholic community in Vernon and at St. James School. People often said about Peggy “If she doesn’t make it to heaven, nobody will.” She was kind and generous to everyone who was fortunate enough to be in her circle. She devoted many hours in her later years to the Okanagan Elders group and spearheaded many Elders Group entries into local parades. Peggy wasn’t an athlete herself, but she was crazy about sports and often called herself a “hockey nut.” Soon after meeting William, she became the scorekeeper for his baseball team, the Head of the Lake Bluebirds, and had fond memories of score keeping Babe Ruth baseball at Polson Park. She was well known in the Vernon Figure Skating Club, Vernon Minor Baseball and Vernon Minor Hockey circles. William and Peggy always fully supported their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and made sure they always had the opportunity to participate in sports and recreation activities. Peggy’s family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the staff at Vernon Jubilee Hospital, Hearthstone Manor and Heron Grove who cared for Peggy in her last year as though she was one of their own. Her family would also like to thank Dr. Donald Smith for his kind and compassionate care. Peggy returned home for a final time on Saturday, February 8th and was visited by family and her many, many friends. A Funeral service and burial was held at St. Benedict’s Church at Head of the Lake Road, Vernon, BC, at 11:00 AM on Monday, February 10th, 2020. A luncheon followed at the Head of the Lake Hall next to the Church.