BREWER, Mildred

Mildred Pendley Brewer, age 86, of Atlanta, GA, was born May 20, 1937 in Locust Grove, GA,, to the late William (Bill) Cox Pendley and Jewel Norsworthy Pendley. She died peacefully on February 29, 2024 at the nursing home at A. G. Rhodes Wesley Woods due to complications from a fall. Millie was raised as a small town girl in Hampton, GA, but early on she set her sights on the big city of Atlanta. There she worked for Rich's department store in the Women's Wood Valley Shop, where she met her future husband, Kent Brewer, who worked in the Career Shop for men. They were married in 1960 and had two children, David Kent Brewer, Jr., and Charlotte Pauline Brewer. Millie and Kent had a close and happy marriage until Kent's death in 2003. Kent opened the Lenox Square location of H. Stockton in early 1970's and, after staying home with the children for many years, Millie joined him and created the ladies division at that location. From long-time friend and associate Pat Dye: "Make 'em want it and let em' have it!" No one lived up to this retail rallying cry more faithfully than Mildred P. Brewer. As the creator of the ladies division her sense of style and her noble way with her staff was a strong presence in traditional Atlanta women's sportswear and business attire. In a business which could often and easily become a tangle of rapidly changing trends and costly markdowns, Millie's superior taste and merchandising sense made each seasons' selection desirable and consistently successful in sell through. Millie was beautifully stylish but also a gifted business woman who nurtured talent in her hiring and enforced a kindhearted loyalty among her staff, her patrons and her many business associates. Millie loved her children, grandchildren, and all of her extended family. She was an excellent cook and hostess, and could sew everything from clothes to pillow covers. Anyone who knew her knows she loved getting her hands dirty and each of the homes she lived in benefitted from her gardening talents. In edition to her parents and her husband, other family members who also predeceased her were twin sister, Hildred; brother, Billy Pendley; sister, Myra Pendley Strickland and her husband, Harold Strickland; and niece, Angela Strickland Patterson (Scott). She is survived by sister, Kathy Pendley Lewis (Ronnie); son, David Brewer (Melisa) and his step-daughters, Savanna Welch and Madison Tumlin; and grandchildren, Paisley, Nolan and Maddox; daughter, Charlotte Brewer Mills (Charlie); and grandchildren, Charles William (Will) Mills, Jr., and Lindsey McClure Mills. She is also survived by two special nephews, Alan Strickland (Barb), Steve Strickland (Tammy) and his children, Jewelia Gahan (Perry), Christa Fox (Glen), and Ella Strickland; niece, Abby Lewis Hagans (Mike); and daughter, Katie; and nephew, Andy Lewis (Tracy), in addition to three half great-great-nieces and nephews. On the Brewer side of the family Millie was predeceased by Kent's parents, Pauline and Spencer Brewer, Sr; sister, Paula Greathouse; and brother and sister-in-law, Nancy and Spencer Brewer, Jr. She is survived by nieces and nephews, Celia Brewer Sinclair and her daughters, Anna and Sally Marshall, Spencer Brewer III (Virginia) and Lisa McAdams and her sons, Julian (Mary) and Sydney. Also surviving Millie is nephew, Bill Adcock, his daughters, Laura Colangelo and Emily Nardone (Gregg) and their children, Henry and Lucy Colangelo and Lulu and Paul Nardone, Bill's ex-wife, Lucy Adcock as well as her niece, Sally McGuire and her sons, Walker and Hunter (Shandy) and their sons, Colton and Dylan. A small family graveside service will be held Monday, March 11, 2024. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Millie's name to St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Atlanta, GA.