Maria Luisa Brewer Obituary
Maria Luisa (Marisa Brewer), 98, passed away peacefully at Granville Medical Center. She was born on September 3, 1926, to Genero and Valentina Martin Serna, in Segovia, Spain, she met her husband, George Brewer, while he was a student in Europe. They married after he returned from the Korean War, and they made their home in Louisville, KY. Not knowing a word of English, Marisa learned the language and became a US Citizen in 1955. Her husband's career brought them to NC in 1972. Marisa attended Vance County Technical Institute and was an assistant teacher with Head Start for many years. She always had a deep love for children, and her days working at Head Start kept her young at heart. After retirement, she filled her days with volunteering at the Vance County Health Department as a translator and coordinating food pickups for ACTS. She also had a great love for her church, St. James Catholic Church. She was active in the Ladies Altar Society and was honored with a Mother Teresa Award for her volunteering accomplishments and tradition of serving others.
Marisa is survived by two children, Frederick Martin Brewer, Ana Brewer Vaughan (Bobby), a daughter in law, Gail Brewer and a sister, Maribel Serna. She also leaves behind her grandchildren, Tony Brewer (Leah), Matt Brewer (Heather), Phillip Brewer, Joseph Vaughan, Jackson Vaughan, Marissa Vaughan, Erin and Kaiden Murray. Also are her great grandchildren, Carolyn Brewer, Emersyn Brewer, Weston Brewer, and many nieces and nephews in Spain and in the US. She was preceded in death by her husband, George Basil Brewer, a son, George Luis Brewer, a daughter in law, Karen Murray, two brothers, Carlos Serna Martin, Fernando Serna Martin, and a sister, Mercedes Serna Martin.
Marisa will certainly be missed by many. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. James Altar Society (3275 US-158 Bypass, Henderson, NC 27537) or St. Jude Children's Hospital (262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105). A memorial mass will be planned at a later date.
