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<em>“Wise except when otherwise,</em><br />
<em>Good except when bad,</em><br />
<em>Studious once in a great while,</em><br />
<em>But never, never sad!”</em></p>
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Anyone who knew <em>Brewer H. Young, Jr.</em> would agree that this description of him from his high school yearbook is about as apt and succinct as could be hoped. Wise he was, indeed, with an understanding and enjoyment of life, yet able to share in compassion and joy with others, often in some new adventure or practical joke. Never “bad,” in the sense of malicious, but in the same spirit as the jokes and pranks (which sometimes took precedence over things academic!), and certainly, never, ever sad! In fact, probably the most memorable things about Brewer are the laughing eyes and that big grin, his hallmarks until he was taken from us on 19 June 1984.</p>
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Brewer came to this world 23 March 1931 in Sheffield, Alabama, located in the beautiful northwestern comer of that state, where his father had a dental practice. The family soon moved across the Tennessee River to Florence, Alabama where Brewer spent the remainder of his pre-West Point years. Most of these were in school, of course, but they also involved welcoming a brother and two sisters to the family, working in his father’s dental lab, learning to play the trumpet and improving his fishing techniques. After graduation from Coffee High, he attended Florence Teacher’s College briefly before enlisting in the Air Force in January 1950.</p>
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After a 1/2 year initiation into the military via the USAF, Brewer joined most of the rest of us on that memorable ride up the old West Shore Railroad and the hike up the hill 3 July 1951 to become one of the “Dumb-smacks” of the class of 1955’s Beast Barracks. It didn’t take long for New Cadet Young to become known as “Reb,” thanks to his pronounced Alabama accent. Many of us, in fact, didn’t know his given name for some time and also remember him as the tall, skinny guy with his leg in a cast. Early in Beast Barracks in one or another of the varied athletic opportunities of which we had to avail ourselves, Reb had suffered a severe leg fracture. A rough way to avoid the pleasantries of that summer, to be sure, but he greeted this setback with the same grin and optimism that characterized him in virtually all situations.</p>
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With this experience, it’s easy to see why Reb wasn’t heavily involved in athletics, outside of intramural sports. He did, however, find considerable pleasure in the two hobbies he brought with him—fishing and music. As a member of the Fishing Club (president as a firstie), he could get away from the Great Gray Walls once in a while, although area waters didn’t yield any trophies. Over the years he had also developed a fine singing voice, so the Glee Club allowed another pleasant and rewarding diversion. He never ceased to exercise his sense of humor either. We all remember him, though, as a firstie, when he was honored by being selected as our Color Sergeant, carrying the US flag for us that year.</p>
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Brewer had met Bette White fairly early in his plebe year and from that day on, she was his OAO. After the four cadet years, his first “official” act was to go to the Cadet Chapel the day after graduation where Bette became Bette White Young before they set out on a new adventure—pilot training in the US Air Force. While academic excellence had never been Brewer’s forte, he was high enough in the class to be able to choose Air Force. The old leg had healed perfectly, the eyes had held out, so, it was off to Moore Air Base, Mission, Texas, for primary, then on to Greenville AFB, Mississippi, for basic and the coveted wings. Reb showed a new skill as he graduated high enough in his class of 56-T to get one of the cherished but scarce jet fighter assignments. All-weather training at Moody AFB, Georgia, led to Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont, where Reb very shortly transitioned to the F-102. As they accomplished these moves, the Youngs were now a family of three, daughter Betsy having arrived just after Reb received his wings, at Greenville, Mississippi.</p>
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After three years in Vermont, it was time for an Alaskan tour, with Reb still flying the F-102, now at Elmendorff AFB. It was during this time Reb developed two new loves—big game hunting and light airplanes. Reb and a fellow pilot bought a wrecked Super Cub and, over a period of about a year and a half, completely rebuilt it. It was in this process, though, seeing the care and skill first in the rebuilding, later in the learning and practicing a new type of flying, that one could see Reb’s affinity for this new craft developing.</p>
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In spite of the many hours thus spent, on top of an arduous flying and alert schedule, he did find time to do some hunting and collected a fine polar bear, among other trophies. It was at Elmendorff, also, that daughter Susan came into the Young family, five years to the day after big sister Betsy!</p>
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The Youngs were next transferred back to Moody AFB, now a pilot training base, where Reb served as instructor in both the T-33 and T-38. After some years there, grappling with the question most of us faced at one time or another, he decided it was time for a career change. In 1966 he resigned from the USAF and went to work with United Air Lines, first as third officer, later as co-pilot, in a Boeing 727 aircraft. Shortly after this transition and a move to Severna Park, Maryland, the Young family increased by one as they were joined in 1967 by son Robert.</p>
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In Maryland, Brewer was still able to indulge his love for fishing as he also continued to pursue his romance with the light airplane. He acquired a WWII vintage Taylorcraft and, over a period of six years, restored it to like-new condition. He loved to work with his hands and even had a small building business. It was during these years, also, that he and Bette both became increasingly involved in their church. Brewer developed a deep and abiding faith, and he was a living witness to that faith in his kindness and compassion to all he met in his travels.</p>
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After moving the family to Denver, Colorado in April 1983, this activity continued and, of course, so did the activity with light aircraft, this time with one not so light—an Aero Commander. It was this airplane that Reb was flying from a small airport near Parker, Colorado, when a combination of high altitude, short grassy runway and fickle winds combined to cause the crash that took him from this life to life everlasting.</p>
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Too soon, it seems to us, for this kind, gentle man, loving husband and father, friend to all he met, roommate, classmate—too soon! Yet, we know as did he, that the Lord’s ways are not always our ways, but they are eternally for the good for those who trust in Him, whether we shall ever recognize that good in this world or not. We can only count it a privilege to have known and shared a bit of this world with Brewer and join in singing, “Well done! Be thou at peace.”</p>
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<em>W.C. McC.</em></p>