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The Brewer Exes’ Association plans to honor three important individuals in a pre-game presentation at the Homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 2.
The Distinguished Ex Award will be presented to Mr. Jimmie Barrett. The recipient of this honor is a Brewer graduate chosen by the association for his or her outstanding commitment to service and the way that this service has reflected back positively on all the students of Brewer High, both past and present, and on the community at large.

A proud father and grandfather, Jimmie Barrett is always engaged with his children and their children, but his love for youngsters doesn’t stop with his own family. He has worked for the children of the White Settlement ISD for 26 years as a board member, volunteering his time and energy so that the district provides the best education possible for its kids. No other board member has devoted so much time to our district; Jimmie is the longest serving Board of Trustee member for the White Settlement ISD.

Barrett is a 1960 graduate of BHS, and his wife Helen is a 1961 Brewer graduate. Helen and Jimmie have been married for 48 years and are the proud parents of four Brewer graduates as well. Jimmie is semi-retired now but has been in business for himself for the last 45 years. His company is JDBarrett Drywall. Helen works at Gardner Aldrich, LLP, which is a law firm. The Barretts are a community-minded family, and loyal Bear fans.

Their son Kelly is the co-owner of Goodfellas Logos, Inc. He and his business partner, Brewer grad Monty Shaw, also run the Spirit Store at Bear Stadium. Kerry, also son to the Barretts, is a coach and teacher at Richland High School, and Kyle, the youngest son, works for Integra Tax. The Barrett’s youngest child and only daughter is Susan Barrett Hammonds who is a teacher at North Elementary in the WSISD. The Barretts have six grandchildren: Kathryn, Emily, Jake, Will, Barrett and Brenley.

Jimmie began his service on the board of trustees in 1979, when his oldest son was about to become a senior. The accomplishments of the board during the following years are practically innumerable, but some of the things Jimmie is most proud of include the opening of the new North Elementary, the opening of the Fine Arts Academy thus serving the children of the district in yet another way, helping to establish the Educational Foundation that has raised thousands of dollars to benefit both kids and teachers in the WSISD, implementing both the Dual Language program and the Full Dual Credit College Credit Program, and finally seeing the opening of the Ninth Grade Center and the new State of the Art Brewer High School.

The Exes’ Association is so very proud to call Jimmie and Helen Barrett part of their own, and they consider it an honor to present to him the Distinguished Ex Award at Homecoming 2009.

Another legend at Brewer is Mr. Charles Burton and his wife Norma. The Burtons will be The Exes’ Association’s Honorary Exes Award recipients this year and will be presented and congratulated pre-game at Homecoming.

The Honorary Ex Award is presented each year at Homecoming to a person or persons in this community who have been closely involved with the school district and have become members of the WSISD family of friends, but didn’t enjoy the privilege of attending Brewer. The Exes’ Association just doesn’t want to hold this small point against these generous individuals, so they call them “honorary exes.” In this way, they become “official” or “real” Brewer Bears, even though they have been acting as Bears for decades.

The Burtons enjoyed 33 years of educational service to the WSISD in their 38 years in the business. Mr. Burton was a teacher and coach, and also an administrator for the district, and Mrs. Burton remained in the classroom. However, no matter which way they served the kids of this district, they developed long-standing relationships with them and feel close to many of them even to this day.

“We love all our students and consider them all our friends,” Mrs. Burton said recently. “We taught them first, and then their kids and their grandkids,” she laughed. “And we loved them all.”
The Burtons have 2 children of their own, who, not surprisingly at all, both became teachers. Sheila Cavanaugh is a teacher in the Keller School District, and Debbie Burkhart is a teacher for the Crowley School District.
Mrs. Norma Burton is from the small East Texas town of Enloe. She graduated from East Texas State University where she also obtained a masters degree as well.

Mr. Charles Leo Burton attended Paris Junior College, in his hometown of Paris until he won a football scholarship to Texas Tech University in Lubbock. However, Mrs. Burton confided, that as soon as one of those “famous sand storms” whipped up “ he changed his mind and came back home.” She said he then attended and graduated from The University of Corpus Christi also playing football on a scholarship. Mr. Burton also ended up getting his masters degree from East Texas State University.

Mr. Burton actually did all of the course work required for his doctoral degree as well, but did not complete his dissertation. Mrs. Burton said her husband was known for saying “Well, I didn’t want to be called Dr. anyway…”
Anyone who attended Brewer while the Burtons were there probably has a story to tell about this wonderful couple who shared most of their lives with this community. The Exes’ Association is so proud to be able to present them as our Honorary Exes for Homecoming 2009.

Here is a link to a PDF file announcing the activities for the BHS homecoming for 2009. Click on it and it will open in your PDF viewer. Have a good time.

HomeComing 2009

looking for classmates from class of 79

We are trying to notify all classmates/friends from the late 70's/early 80's that the class of 1979 is planning reunion parties for the weekend of July 24th and 25th, 2009. Please pass the word and help us reunite. Thanks.

We have some pixs of the new BHS in the image gallery. Take a look its a gosh darn nice looking school. Click on the image galleries in the menu or at the top right of the page.

By Cheryl Posey

The Brewer Exes’ Association held its annual business meeting last Thursday to mark the beginning of the Homecoming festivities. Every decade of graduates was represented at the meeting, from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. The only decade missing was the 2000’s, and the group present agreed that in time those younger exes will join as well.

Just the next evening during the Homecoming game several members of the classes of the 2000’s joined the organization and signed their name in the official exes’ book of membership. It was a historic date to see those 2000’s going into the book!

At the meeting, the group decided to organize a membership drive committee to help raise funds for the scholarships to be given out in May. The committee is comprised of Brewer Exes from each decade. Their goal is to get at least 100 members from each decade to join within the next few weeks. President Elect Frank Molinar is leading this group, and he has challenged them all to a competition that he believes will be won by the 80’s decade. Winners of the competition will be treated to a prize.

The group also voted to raise the membership dues from $5 to $10 per year starting at Homecoming 2009. These will still be some of the lowest dues of any organization of this type.

The members also voted to begin selling lifetime memberships for $100. Exes who purchase this membership will be given a Lifetime Membership Card and will never have to be reminded to pay their dues again.

Members also discussed allowing associate memberships to be offered to individuals who did not attend Brewer but would still like to support the Exes’ Association. However, this agenda item was tabled until next year after much discussion.

Also discussed at the meeting was the probability of moving the Exes’ social historically held on Saturday night after Homecoming to a new location. Members voted to allow the officers to look for another venue. The social has been held at the White Settlement VFW Hall for the past few years.

Other agenda items discussed included making better use of the website created by Raymond Forsythe. The web address is cfbrewerexes.org. Mr. Forsythe was present and addressed many questions about possible uses for the site. Many would like to see this site used as a database for names and addresses for all ex-Brewer students. This could greatly benefit reunion organizers in the future.

Brewer Ex-Student Association

The membership drive for 2008-2009 is in full swing for the Brewer Ex-Student Association, and there is a new twist to be considered. At the recent business meeting held during Homecoming week, lifetime memberships were approved.
Members of the association who are tired of renewing every year have the option to renew only one more time for $100, and they will then be considered lifetime members. All Lifetime members will receive a lifetime membership card and a Brewer Exes’ Association decal for their vehicle. These decals are also available for sale for $1.00 from any association officer.
A membership committee was formed with Rita Owens and Frank Molinar as co-chairpersons. Each decade will compete for prizes to recruit the most new members from the 50’s to the 2000’s decades. Angela Miller and Frank Molinar will represent the 80's decade on the committee, and they have called out all the other decades to try to match the members they will recruit from the 80’s decade.

Debbie McKinney will represent the 70's decade on the membership committee, Maxine Harrod, Fran Smith and Sandy Heizer will represent the 60’s; A.C. Hall and Jason Ferguson will recruit for the 90’s decade, and Sharon Blair will recruit for the 50's decade. The committee is currently seeking members for the 2000 decade to serve with them as well. Anyone who would like to do so can email the association president at cwposey@aol.com. Any ex-Brewer student who joins the association will help their decade in the contest. Dues and demographic information can be sent to the high school. (Please see the ad on page 6 of this paper for complete information.)
Although membership dues for this year remain at $5.00, the association voted to raise them to $10 for next year’s Homecoming. They also voted to allow Brewer exes who are 65 years of age or older to continue to pay $5 for their membership dues indefinitely.
As most everyone knows by now, money collected from memberships is used to fund a scholarship for a graduating Brewer senior each spring. The Exes’ Association decided to give two scholarships this spring in honor of 2 deceased Brewer graduates, Robert Vallejo and Paulene Hoover, from the classes of ‘98 and ‘68 respectively.
Students who wish to apply for the Exes’ Scholarships will be required to write an essay on a topic decided at the business meeting held before Homecoming this year.
The topic for the 2009 scholarships is “There is a rock song – ‘Be True to Your School.’ Describe how you, as a BHS Senior, are true to your school now and how you see yourself long after graduation still being ‘true to your school.’ Describe how you can continue to support your Alma Mater throughout your life.”
The Exes’ Association also decided to move the due date for the scholarship essay from April to March. The association moved the date in hopes recruiting more scholarship applicants.

Click on the link below to view Homecoming Activities Schedule 2008.

Homecoming Activities Schedule 2008