I too have very fond memories of Coach Brewer and treasure a lacrosse ball that he gifted me on my birthday. I will try to find the "inscription" that conveyed his appreciation for the great game of lacrosse. I don't know how many times I navigated ground ball drills under his demanding crutch, or the reward of salted water after a thirsty practice! His hardness belied a caring heart and a commitment to each of us. I felt this especially as a prep and will always hold the fondest memories of his crusty care!

Love to Kate and Scott, with a special hug to Kate for her amazing smile!!!

How does one begin? Jim Brewer was larger than life. His imposing figure would come down the main floor in Langdell Hall at Exeter, and he would bellow out your name as if he were the main character in Jack and the Giant Bean Stalk. Although I was not in his dorm, I had a chance to watch my stepbrother routinely skulk back to his dorm room from the butt-room/man-cave when he heard Mr. Brewer, Dorm Master of the Domain, clicking rhythmically down the hallway many floors above searching for "Bowditch."

For many of us four-year boys, Jim Brewer was, and will always be, Coach Brewer. He went out of his way to welcome us preps (9th grader) and make sure that incoming lacrosse players we getting excited about the forthcoming spring lacrosse season, even in the dead of winter. As a D-pole, I had the "pleasure" of getting whacked on the helmet a few times or having my stick knocked out of my hands, if I were not paying attention to his coaching instructions and play making on the field. His handicap was his best disguise, as he could easily hunt us Lowers down on the field and make sure that we were applying full pressure on the Upper class men. He defined the term in loco parentis as coach, mentor, and father figure for a number of student athletes who would have gotten bounced out of school were it not for his not-so-gentle chiding to forget about the partying and focus on the game .

Big Jim Brewer will remain near and dear to many of us who were on the field with him or in his class. He will be sorely missed by his students, friends and family.

NB: Kate Brewer, I will note, was one of only six four-year girls during freshman year. I would be remiss if I did not recognize Kate as bringing some humanity and cheer to some of us preps, even if she did kick our butts in Prep Spaz.
ALS

James Edward Brewer II passed away peacefully on Saturday night March 28, 2020 while at home with his friends and incredible caregivers, Deb and Bruce Cheney of Laconia, NH.
Born on November 16, 1931 in Port Chester, New York to Orlando Swift Brewer and Margaret Doran Brewer, he had passed his 88th birthday and had remained in amazingly good health throughout his long life.
James was a graduate of Deerfield Academy ‘50, Hobart College ‘54, The University of Wisconsin Law School ‘58 and The Bread Loaf School of English ’66. He met Joan Bissonnette while recovering from Polio, she was his Physical Therapist, and they married in 1957. They had three children, twin sons Scott and Duncan born in 1959 and a daughter Katherine born in 1961.
Jim had an illustrious career as a Private School Educator fulfilling many and varied roles including those of Teacher, Coach, Dorm Parent, Advisor, Assistant Headmaster, Headmaster, Director of College Counseling, Holderness School Today founder and Publicist, Chair of the English department, and overall Mentor. He began his teaching career at Holderness School in Holderness, New Hampshire in 1960 and taught there for 9 years before moving on to become the Headmaster at The Barlow School in Amenia, New York in 1969. In 1973 he took a position at Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter New Hampshire where he taught and coached Men’s JV Football and ran the Men’s Varsity Lacrosse program. In 1978, he chose to return to his beloved Holderness School where he remained until his retirement in 1995. He became one of those icons who inspired the Van Otterloo-Henderson-Brewer Chair program for the professional development of faculty.
His bout with Polio left him needing to use braces and crutches for the remainder of his life, but anyone who saw him in action knew that those challenges didn’t slow him down one bit. He excelled in his professional life and also: camped across the country on his honeymoon; drove a car; used a chain saw; coached both Football and Lacrosse (with an astounding 175-56-3 overall record, twelve league championships and was twice voted Northern New England Coach-of-the- Year); paced the sidelines on game days; went fishing in a canoe; went down and up the steep hill at his summer house in the Adirondacks so he could go for his morning swim and had a determined attitude to not live his life as if his physical challenges were either a handicap or a disability. He was an amazing role model of how to persevere and stay positive in the face of adversity.
He was also an avid nature lover and was always delighted by the antics of the creatures that surrounded him be they the large bear who tore down the birdfeeder on numerous occasions or the scrawny little hummingbird whom he hoped would return each spring or the turkeys who flocked in the fields at the farm where he spent his last days. He shared his experiences by being a grand storyteller and entertained audiences at school assemblies, alumni gatherings, The corner House Inn, The Pasquaney Inn and at Taylor Home with his “Nature Notebook” stories and anecdotes.
He is survived by his son Scott Brewer of Spokane Washington, his daughter Kate Brewer of Sandwich NH, his 8 grandchildren Kyle, Tallee, Megan, Tyler, Austin, Mackenzie, Guthrie and Dugan and his 7 great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his son, Duncan Brewer of Bend, Oregon; his ex-wife and lifelong friend, Joan Brewer of Plymouth, NH and his long-term partner, Candy Thun of Rumney, NH.