Ethel Lee "Eldridge" Brewer

Ethel Lee Brewer, March 4, 1936 – August 12, 2025 Ethel Lee Brewer, 89, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, died peacefully in her sleep at home, August 12, 2025. Ethel was born in Uniontown, Perry County, AL to Annie Lee (Washington) Eldridge and George Eldridge on March 4, 1936. She spent her early years growing up in Selma, attending Clark Elementary School. She attended Washington Junior High School in Fort Wayne, but was forced to suspend her formal education during the seventh grade due to a fall on an ice patch that broke her hip and left her bedridden for years. She later returned to school and earned her GED. As a 38-year-old single mother, she was first in her class to graduate from cosmetology school. Most of her classmates were high school seniors. In 1955, Ethel married Charles Brewer, a Korean War Army veteran born in Muncie, Indiana. They divorced years later. Ethel's life was rooted in love. She was among Head Start's first teachers in the nation and worked there with compassion and devotion to the children until the early 1970s. She left to open a home-based beauty salon called Ebony Touch. Ethel treated her customers like family, inviting them to join in having breakfast, lunch, dinner at no charge. In fact, Ethel never met a stranger and made many friends instantly. Ethel's life was rooted in extraordinary commitment to family, community, and her business. She relocated Ebony Touch to her John Street home in 1985 and continued with service so outstanding that she never had to advertise for customers. Although she was proud of that fact, she advertised anyway year-round to support the local Black newspapers. Ethel was so skillful as a beautician, mother, and grandmother that she babysat and raised grandchildren while running her salon. She kept her home and the salon full of books and magazines, and often took time to entertain the young ones by reading to them, singing nursery rhymes, and playing children's rhyming games. Ethel was also instrumental in the early 1990s in helping her family in Fort Wayne lead the effort to begin family reunions again. Family came from California, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee, and Buffalo, New York. The reunions were held each year until the pandemic in 2020. Ethel attended every reunion, helped organize the family efforts in Fort Wayne, donated money and food and was a chief fundraiser. Her commitment to family was legendary. Ethel's salon and home were gathering spots for people of all walks of life. Everybody who crossed the threshold of Ethel's abode knew they would be treated with loving care, offered sage, though sometimes stinging, advice, and Biblical scriptures. They also received support and resources to resolve their challenges, whether they be hunger, homelessness, family and relationship matters, furniture, clothing, or financial strain. Ethel's life was rooted in spiritual practice and demonstration, like a tree, planted by the water. While always active caring for children, grandchildren, and great-grands, Ethel committed to attending church and Bible study weekly for most of her life. She served on the usher board, as a missionary and Sunday School teacher. Everyone blessed to meet her benefited from Ethel's outstanding cooking skills and generosity. She frequently prepared large meals of chicken, ham, fish, turkey, dressing, cornbread, collard greens, potato salad, candied yams, sweet potato pies, pound cakes, and peach cobblers for church and community affairs and at her home. Over the years, she was a faithful and active member of Good Hope Baptist Church, South Park Baptist Church, Kingdom Door, Tree of Life Missionary Baptist, and Christ Church of Faith, presided over by her brother, Bishop Clarence Eldridge, Sr. Ethel's life was rooted in service to humanity. She was a member for decades of the Order of the Eastern Star (a charitable, educational, and spiritual organization). She donated her time, talents, and delectable meals to nursing home residents and churches serving those in need. She also recruited friends and family to give of their time. Ethel's life was rooted in music, dance, joy, and gratitude., beginning early morning until the dark of night, Ethel could be heard singing and humming as she cared for her home and family. She sang in church. She sang to the blues, R&B, and gospel, and loved to dance with family and friends. In the hospital and rehab facilities, Ethel listened to music, sang, and rhythmically swayed her body, emanating joy and perseverance. The nursing staff marveled at her seemingly indomitable spirit. No matter what she was told or experienced, she greeted every day with a prayer of gratitude and determination to keep going. Ethel's life was rooted in humor and wit, always timely and, generally, appropriate. The hospital and rehab staff loved the way she made them laugh and smile during serious, intense, or uncomfortable moments. She did the same for family, friends and community. Her granddaughter Danielle told this story. "When I was 7, grandma was asked to do someone's hair outside the salon. I thought to myself, "Okay great, this will be fun!" Then I found out the woman was deceased. I stayed as far away from the casket as I could and told grandma I was scared. Grandma continued to quietly comb the lady's hair and finally said to me, " There's no need to be afraid of the dead. It's the people who are alive and walking around you need to be concerned about!" Well… Ethel retired from being a beautician in 2013, and lived the remainder of her years with her second eldest daughter, Elizabeth Ann (Brewer) Howard. Ethel was preceded in death by her parents, two children, Theresa Brewer and Charles Brewer, Jr., her siblings Clarence Eldridge, Sr., Willie Eldridge, Ernestine Smith, Frank Eldridge, Charlie Eldridge, and Glenn Eldridge. She is survived by five children; Diane Brewer, Liz Howard, Caroline Brewer, Bruce Brewer, and Glenn Brewer; grandchildren Cameron Howard, Genae Howard, Farrish Brewer, Marcus Brewer, Christian Dorisca (Alex), Danielle Brewer, Devonta Morgan and Darius Morgan; great-grandchildren Tykara Howard, Sani Daniella Brewer-Wimes, Chloe Dorisca, and Sa'Mani Morgan; great-great-grandchildren Naszir Love and Navi Baymon; five siblings, George Love Eldridge (Carolyn Sue), A.C. Eldridge (Juanita, now deceased), Annie Lee Bryant, Johnny Eldridge (Joyce), and Joanne Eldridge Tucker (Darryl); and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.