Harry Lee Brewer

Harry Lee Brewer, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend passed away on his 88th birthday this past Monday. He was born in Pinedale, AZ, the third son of Lawrence H. Brewer and Isabel Webb Brewer. He graduated from grade school at Pinedale and attended high school in Snowflake, AZ. He joined the Marine Corps in 1941 where he saw combat during WWII in the Pacific while serving his country for four years. He received the Purple Heart as well as various other honor medals. Harry was honorably discharge in 1945. Harry met M. Delta Amos at a dance in Pinetop and they married in Holbrook, AZ after five dates. They enjoyed 64 wonderful and loving years together. After marriage they moved to San Diego, CA where he held several jobs and they returned to Whiteriver, AZ in 1956. Harry was employed by the BIA as the Fire Management Officer for the Fort Apache Agency in Whiteriver from 1956 to 1980, he was responsible for the re-development of the BIA Fire Control program from a horse and pack mule fire suppression crew to a modern fire management program. The animal teams were replaced by helitack crews and quality trained fire crews. Harry developed and supervised the construction of a runway and airport in Whiteriver that could accommodate large slurry aircraft, as well as emergency MedEvac aircraft. He developed the BIA Fire Management Base, a Slurry Plant and Distribution Center, a Fire Training Classroom and organized and developed the first female fire suppression crew, Apache 8. He organized the first BIA helitack crew and established the Fort Apache Hot Shots. After he retired from the BIA he worked as a Fire Management Consultant in Arizona, Oregon and Nevada, developing fire management programs for Western and Eastern Nevada agencies. In 1993 he became the Public Works Director for the White Mountain Apache Tribe where he managed seven tribal departments. He retired for the third time in 1999. Harry was well known for his compassion, kindness, generosity and sense of humor. He loved a good joke and everyone who knew him would agree that "Brew" or Uncle Harry was quite a character. He is survived by his wife, Delta, daughter Coleen Lee (Brian) Veach, son-in-law Richard J. Palmer, Sr.; three grandchildren: Caryn Lee (Tyler) Wagenfehr, Melinda Danielle (Mark) Gardner, and Richard J. (Ildiko) Palmer, Jr.; four great-grandchildren: Julia Lee Wagenfehr, Alana Danielle Gardner, Melanie Noelle Gardner, Anthony Chad Gardner; brother, Don (Lena)Brewer and several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his daughter, Chadeen Lee Palmer and brothers, Chad and Harvey Brewer. His legacy will live on forever in the hearts of those who knew him. Funeral Services will be held at The Lakeside Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Lakeside, Arizona, at 12:00 noon with a visitation beginning 1-hour prior to services. Graveside service and burial will be at the Brewer Family Plot at Post Office Canyon.