Ruth Brewer

Ruth Irene Brewer, 94, of Indianapolis, Indiana passed away on September 27, 2023. She was born in Fountaintown, Indiana on March 13, 1929 to Charles and Zella Myrl Ross. She was the youngest of four children. Ruth grew up during the Great Depression, and she learned to make do with very little from a young age. Her family relied on hunting, trapping, and farming for food. Much of her ethos was derived from those early years. Throughout her life, she wasted nothing, and anything she could do without help, she did. She was self-sufficient until the end. She finally gave up riding her bicycle to the Warren branch of the Indianapolis Public Library around age 90, but at 94 years old, she still changed her own oil and mowed her own lawn. 

Following the untimely death of her husband, Dan, in 1964, Ruth got a job selling furniture at Kittle’s, where she remained for about twenty years. As a single mother in the 1960s, she worked hard to maintain a good life for her children, Gary and Diane. This included providing them with musical instruments to encourage and grow their talents, which each pursued into adulthood. Diane went to Indiana University to study piano, and Gary became a professional drummer. After leaving Kittle’s, she became a real estate agent. She enjoyed helping people find homes.

Ruth experienced more loss than one person should ever have to bear, losing both of her children and her husband well before their times, but she still managed to find joy. She loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren with undiluted devotion. She loved watching the Indianapolis Colts play, and she was over the moon when they won the last game she got to watch on September 24. She loved keeping a garden, where she grew a multitude of vegetables over the years. She was also an avid reader, consuming three or four books weekly. Her favorites were memoirs and biographies, and she read about anyone and everyone – celebrities, writers, and politicians on both sides of the aisle, though she tended to think that all politicians were a bit nutty. Her wry sense of humor was one of her many attributes. 

Ruth is survived by her grandchildren, Jenny Maldonaldo (Charles) and Daniel Rich, and her great-grandchildren, Adeline and Estelle Maldonado. She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Zella Myrl Ross; brothers, Ray and Glen; sister, Fern; husband, Daniel Brewer; daughter, Diane Rich; and son, Gary Brewer. 

Ruth will be cremated and laid to rest in Washington Park East Cemetery with her husband and son. Memorial contributions can be made in Ruth’s honor to the Indiana War Memorials Foundation; Ruth’s brother, Glen, was on board the USS Indianapolis when it sank during WWII, and she was diligent about attending every available memorial event. She also made constant use of her local library, and donations can be made in her honor to the Indianapolis Public Library Foundation.