Mother was the middle daughter of Albert and Ruth (Bowman) Brewer. She was a spunky, fiery, redhead whose friends and family remember her as humorous and fun-loving. She was captain in the ROTC in high school growing up. She was engaged to Eddie Applegate and planning her wedding, when she was swept off her feet by a handsome sailor, Jack Newell. They soon 'ran off' and got married.