Bare Handed

When I was only 13 years old I wanted to make the Emily Gray Junior High baseball team.  I was not very good.  I wanted to pitch but had a terrible motion.  Bill would come home and ask me to practice in the yard.  I did not have a catcher’s mitt but Bill just used his bare hand.  I was always impressed that he was so tough that he could catch the hard ball with his work hardened hand.  They felt like sandpaper and were thick like a glove. 

After I threw the ball over his head and then under his feet several times Bill stopped me and said, “Eddie,  Let us just play catch.  None of that fancy windups.  Just point your toe, rare back and throw me the ball.”  We did that for several days and I actually became more accurate and I began to throw pretty hard.  Bill continued to bare hand the ball even though I was throwing the ball 50-55 miles an hour.  My greatest moment was when he shook his hand in pain and finally asked me for my glove.  Why did I not think of that before.  He could have used my glove all along.  I think he did it for effect.  I was then ready to try out for the team.  I pitched for two years and made the county all-star team.  Bill loved sports.  It did not matter if it was soccer, roping, barrel racing, or football.  He enjoyed watching his family participate.   Thanks for your support.

Love

EDDIE

Bill at the Freedom Festival

One year we invited Mom and Bill to attend the Freedom Festival at Lavel Edwards Stadium.  It was a great tribute to all the service men during the program.  They would sing the anthem for each branch of the military and ask the veterans that served in that branch to stand.   It was awesome to have Bill stand while they played the Marine anthem.  We are very proud that he served his country as a Marine.  That night part of the program was letters that American GI’s wrote home during WW11.  They read each one in a GI’s voice while the music played.  It was very touching and I could tell it hit home for Bill.   Later they had a firework show and we were pretty close to the action.  It was loud and you could feel the heat from the fireworks as well as some of the hot embers.  I thought all the Veterans were going to have a flashback.  Instead Bill wiped a tear from his eye.  Bill was always proud of his service in the Marines but he was also a little sad when he thought of his Marine buddies.  We will miss you Bill.  We too will be a little sad when we think of you.  We also will celebrate your life.  Until we meet again.  

Love the Ed Brewer’s

Grandpa Bill

I didn't realize all the things Grandpa Bill had lived through until Aunt Richelle made this comment on Facebook: "He beat cancer 3 times :), knee surgery, 2 back surgeries, hip surgery, and WWII--he was fighting up to the very last second. He is our family "John Wayne" and at 91 years of age he sat in the hospital after his heart attack and he was talking about getting his blasters and contractors license renewed :)"... I just thought that little post was so amazing and so grandpa Bill because he really was a "good ol' boy" who believed in hard work and never giving up.

He has always been so sweet and kind to all his grandchildren, even when we would come and invade his home for a week at a time. (c: I remember complaining to grandma Ruth when we were staying with them that I got cold during the night and she said that she always stayed nice and warm because every night she would curl up and grandpa Bill would curl up right around her. She said she couldn't get to sleep without him and I have remembered that comment for almost twenty years because even though I was so young, I thought that was just so sweet. And I always loved that grandpa would call her Ruth Anne, even though no one else did. (c:

We always thought grandma and grandpa had the coolest home to visit because they always insisted on living in the boonies and having a ton of animals. Being there with them are some of my fondest childhood memories. We always had a roaring campfire at night built by grandpa. I feel so blessed to have know this strong and courageous man who always took care of the people around him and worked so hard. Now I'm thankful that his Heavenly Father and Savior can look after him until we all are reunited. We love you, grandpa Bill!!!

Love Your Granddaughter,

Aubrey