Willard T. Brewer, Sr.

Willard T. Brewer, 77, of Urbana, Ohio, passed away on Tuesday, November 23rd at Springfield Regional Medical Center after a lengthy battle with illness. He was born on December 18, 1943, in Kermit, West Virginia, the oldest child of James W. and Grethel H. Brewer. Will was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who loved his family very much. He was an avid classic car and muscle car enthusiast and enjoyed making friends at the local car shows. He was a retired veteran of the Ohio Air National Guard, 178th Tactical Fighter Group at Springfield-Beckley Airport. He served from 1961-64 in the US Army, 7th Cavalry as a tank driver in Germany. His military family was very special to him and he maintained those close relationships for many years after his retirement. He was also retired from Navistar International after 30 years of service.

Will had a love of travel and flight. Family vacations were always a priority to him, and he took the family to visit 40 different states during summers when school was out. He was a student pilot at Grimes Municipal Airport in Urbana prior to his retirement and a Crew Chief in the Ohio Air Guard, providing mechanical support and maintenance to the military aircraft at the base.

Will is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Judie Brewer; his daughter, Sherry Tyree of Urbana; grandson Robert (James) Poplin of Canal Winchester; granddaughter Chelsea (Tyler) Proffitt of Waynesville; and two beloved great-grandchildren, Charlie and Callahan Proffitt. He was preceded in death by his parents; his son Willard (Tom) Brewer Jr.; and brothers Anthony W. Brewer and Larry Brewer.

He will be remembered for his generous spirit, his strength, intelligence, his willingness to always help a friend, and his uncanny knack to diagnose and fix any mechanical problem. He was a blessing to his family and to everyone who knew him.

The family would like to give a special thanks to Dr. Mark Roberto for taking such excellent care of Will for so many years.

Viewing will be held on Monday, November 29th, 2021 from 4-6p.m. at Jackson Lytle & Lewis Life Celebration Center. A service to celebrate his life will be on Tuesday, November 30th at 1p.m. also at the funeral home. Burial will follow at South Solon Cemetery. Will's family would like to express that during these difficult and uncertain times, if you are not feeling well or are not comfortable in crowds, they understand and encourage you to please sign his online guest book and express your condolences by visiting www.jacksonlytle.com.