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.