Miles C. Brewer
1935-2026

      Miles C. Brewer 90 of Keokuk, passed away Tuesday, July 21, 2026 at his home.  He has finished his life’s race and is now in heaven where he was looking forward to going.

     Miles was born November 30, 1935, at his family farm home near New York, Iowa to David Glenn and Ruth Juanita Hudson Brewer.  He grew up in southern Iowa, except for several years when the family moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee where his father held a government job during WWII.  He graduated from Seymour IA. High School in l954, and graduated from Northeast Missouri State Teacher’s College, (now Truman State) in l958. He received his M.A. degree in l960, and also studied at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Miles was a proud veteran of the United States Army for and served for 2 years during the Berlin Crisis era, and was a member of the local American Legion. 

     He married Carolyn Surber at the Ottumwa, IA Assembly of God on April 20, 1962.  They were married for 64 years.  She survives.

     Miles was a public school teacher in Keokuk at Lincoln School for 42 years, grades 4-5-6.  For 40 of those years, he was Assistant Principal at Lincoln.   He also spent many summers teaching summer school & “college for kids,” as well as teaching adults obtaining their GED’s.  

     Miles was a Member of Living Waters Assembly of God and a faithful, dedicated Christian man. He served as a Sunday School teacher there for 60 years. He sang in the choir, and was a gifted musician.  He helped begin a Scouting project for boys  called Royal Rangers & was Commander for many years.  He served at the local, state and national levels as a Ranger Leader.  

     Miles worked with the county Soil and Water Conservation for 25 years. He was a conservationist at heart, loved working outdoors & developed lessons teaching young people (and anyone who was interested) why Iowa has a large share of world class soils! He was responsible & carefully cared for the one acre native tall grass prairie at Hawthorne elementary school that he and his fourth graders planted in 1990. 

     He was a family man - loving and enjoying every minute he could spend with them.  Most summers included a family vacation over various parts of the U.S. Miles was proud to be able to say he had been to all of the states (except Hawaii). Miles never knew a stranger. He could strike up a conversation with anyone, and loved going to McDonald’s once a week for coffee & visiting with his Church friends. 

     Miles is survived by his wife, Carolyn, Son Kent  Brewer from Manchester, IA; Daughter, Angela Brayden (Bryan) from the Minneapolis area;  Son Kristopher Brewer (Lori) from Keokuk; Grandchildren, Luke Baker (Meghan), Rochester, MN,; Avery Whitaker (Matt), Minneapolis area;  Mitchell Baker, (San Diego, CA); Addelyn Brewer (Des Moines, IA), Hannah Brewer (Dayton, OH), Elliana Brewer (Keokuk), Great Grandchildren; Peyton Baker; Everette & Walter Whitaker.  Sister Betty Spence, Wylie Texas, Brother David L. Brewer, (Meryl), Keokuk. Miles was preceded in death by his sister Susie McCaughey, Oak Grove, MO. and his parents. 

     Memorials may be directed to:  Living Waters Assembly of God, Keokuk, IA.

     A funeral service will be held Thursday morning, July 30 at 10:30 am, at Living Waters Assembly of God Church in Keokuk with Rev. Larry Wallingford officiating.  

     Visitation will be held Wednesday, July 29 from 5-7pm at Vigen Memorial Home in Keokuk.

     Burial will be in the Hickory Grove Cemetery in rural Keokuk.  

     Online condolences may be left for the family at www.vigenmemorialhome.com