Mari "Brewer" Gruber

Mari Brewer Gruber, beloved sister, aunt, mother, friend, and The Butterfly Lady, died on August 25, 2025. Mari was born and raised in Northern Virginia. Her father, Benjamin Franklin Brewer, instilled in her a love for working with her hands, fixing and creating, as well as the symbiosis between people and the earth. Her elegant mother, Dorothy Roth Brewer, filled the house with music and showed Mari how to be a true teacher. She is the youngest of five: her three lovely sisters, Barbara Barry (CT), Joanne Winn (VA), and Martha Lawson (WA), and her late brother, Serious Israel, who was her own personal hero. She adored her nieces and nephews, and relished the role of fun Aunt and confidant, especially to her niece Kristin Smith (WA), who was one of her best friends. In 1968, Mari left home to attend the Maryland Institute of Fine Art. Her twenties were filled with stories from all over. She often told of hitchhiking through Europe and living with eccentrics in Baltimore. She worked as an artist, and also as a psychiatric nurse, a challenging job that taught her perseverance and compassion. In her thirties she took on her next role, as mother to two: Cyben Robert Gruber of Jim Thorpe and Cassidy Blue Gruber of Pittsburgh. She moved them to Jim Thorpe in 1988 to be closer to her sister Martha and niece Kristin. There she began fixing up her big house on South Street, as well as continuing to work full time as an artist. Her business, Dreamscapes Pottery, was a fantastical collection of "disfunctional" pottery filled with mermaids and seascapes. Because she worked from home, the house became a hub of activity, roiling with her children and their friends, as well as a number of pets, including beloved dog Frankie and a pair of Australian Sugar Gliders. She was a friend to every artist she met, and her house is full of beautiful artwork that she often traded for her own pieces.Visitors described the experience as going to a museum; each room was a dedication to color, to art, to beauty. In the early 2000's, Mari started to work on what would become the true love of her life, Bear Mountain Butterfly Sanctuary. Through determination and magic, she transformed a family building on Route 903 into a space like no other. Her mission was to bring wonder to every person, especially those who are often forgotten. Not only did she build a "Flutteratium" for people to experience butterflies for themselves, she also traveled to schools, libraries, and community centers to teach anyone interested about the wonders of the natural world. Mari was lucky enough to have a brilliant staff, and the people who worked for her became her close family. It was during this time that she burst out of her chrysalis to become her favorite form: The Butterfly Lady. Butterflies were her own Dreamscapes, brought to life. Mari's philosophy in life was about the power of the universe. She trusted that if you asked, you would be provided for. In that same spirit, she took every opportunity to give that she could. Being generous was the most natural thing for her. Her deity was mother earth, her prayer was creation and color. She was a proud hippy who always advocated for peace and compassion. She believed most in fairness, in science, in the interconnectedness of all things. She loved bringing new life to old things, restoring antiques and furniture. She was righteous, loyal, sensitive, and clever. Every challenge was an opportunity to try something new. Every blank surface was an opportunity for new life. Her brain worked in beautiful and strange ways. Often the paths she followed were unclear to her family and friends, but she always had a true sense of the destination, and when she arrived the world would burst into color at her touch. Mari was diagnosed with brain cancer in early June, and it grew quickly and aggressively in a few short weeks. She spent her last days surrounded by her family, celebrating her 75th birthday. The week was full of love, humor, tears, and song. Never one to be inconsiderate, Mari died quickly and painlessly on a Monday afternoon. Mari has now emerged into a new form once more. She leaves behind a heartbroken but grateful family, an inspired community, and a lasting legacy as The Butterfly Lady. Her life was a beautiful creation all her own, and we are all the better for it. There will be a community memorial service with details to come. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her name to Monarch Watch (www.monarchwatch.org) or another nonprofit dedicated to nature or conservation. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mari (Brewer) Gruber, please visit our floral store.