William Brewer Jr.

1931 - 2023

William Brewer, Jr.

January 28, 1931 - December 20, 2023

GREENVILLE, North Carolina - Mr. William Clarence ("Bill") Brewer, Jr., 92, went to his heavenly home on Wednesday, December 20, 2023, surrounded by family. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Thursday, December 28, 2023 at 2 pm at First Christian Church with the Rev. Andrew Shue officiating. There will be a private burial in Greenwood Cemetery. Bill was born in Washington, DC, on January 28, 1931 to the late William C. Brewer and Gladys Ange Brewer. He grew up in Jamesville, NC, in a multigenerational home with a loving family. He was a graduate of Jamesville High School and a previous member of Jamesville Christian Church. Bill was proud of the community in which he was raised, and he never forgot the kindness and generosity of the family, neighbors, friends, teachers, and coaches who supported and mentored him. Bill was a star athlete in several sports and received a scholarship to play basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Although an injury impacted his basketball career, he remained in Chapel Hill for seven years, receiving his undergraduate and law degrees from UNC. He was an active member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and served as class president during his law school years. Bill then worked as a law clerk for the North Carolina Supreme Court before moving to Greenville in 1958. For more than 50 years, Bill had a successful law practice with the firm of Speight, Watson & Brewer. Bill was widely recognized by his peers as a strong advocate for his clients; his gentle yet confident style in the courtroom and conference room was uniformly admired and trusted by judges, juries, and other attorneys. He was an active member of the Pitt County and North Carolina Bar Associations and the Eastern North Carolina Inn of Court, and for many years he served as an editor and advisor for Bar Notes (a publication of the NC Bar Association) and as a board member of the NC Legal Education Council. He was admitted to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as numerous state and federal courts. Bill served as President of the Greenville Jaycees and as Chairman of the Board of the Sheppard Memorial Library. Bill met Anne in 1966 and since they immediately knew they were destined to build a life as a couple, they married later that year. They cherished their life together raising their children, enjoying time with family, nurturing friendships old and new, and being active members of First Christian Church. Throughout their marriage, he and Anne worked together to provide care and support for numerous relatives and friends, whether during their final years or in other times of need. The quiet, humble, and devoted manner in which Bill cared for so many departed loved ones is one of his most significant legacies. Bill will be fondly remembered as a true Southern gentleman, in every sense of the word. He was a loving son, husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many and will be greatly missed by those who loved him. His warmth and kindness, as well as the way he lived his life with contentment and gratitude, blessed all those who knew him. He found tremendous enjoyment in gatherings with family and friends and also in traveling, gardening, and keeping up with current events, especially during his retirement years. In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his sisters Grace Brewer Corey and Elizabeth Brewer Delery, as well as his aunt and uncle Cottie and Joseph Holliday and their children Muriel Holliday, Juanita Coltrain, and Joseph Holliday, Jr., and his uncle Howard Brewer. He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Anne Evans Brewer; son William C. Brewer III of Nashville, TN; daughter Suzanne Brewer Harmon and husband Alan of Clayton, NC; and two grandsons, David Alan Harmon and Daniel Brewer Harmon, both of Clayton, NC. He is also survived by his nephews and nieces Stuart and Janet Delery; Bob, Cornelia, and Bill Corey; David, Lynn, and John Evans; Jane Houchin and Amanda Rollins, and his brother-in-law David Evans, Jr. The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to devoted neighbors Billy and Nancy Clark, for their many years of caring friendship, good times, and laughter. The family will receive friends immediately following the service during a reception at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Christian Church, PO Box 2366, Greenville, NC 27836-0366. Online condolences at www.wilkersonfuneralhome.com