1941
Kenneth
2006
Kenneth W. Brewer
November 28, 1941 — March 15, 2006
On March 15, 2006, Kenneth W. Brewer completed his long journey with pancreatic cancer, a time during which he taught us to face death with courage and dignity. Through his poetry, interviews, and articles about him, he hoped to bring comfort and peace to others experiencing a terminal illness and to their loved ones and caregivers.
He was born on November 28, 1941, to Juanita Virt and Ulysses Brewer in Indianapolis, Indiana. He married Carol Ann Hayton on August 22, 1964, and they were divorced on October 19, 1977. He then married Roberta (Bobbie) Stearman on September 18, 1978. They were divorced in 1986 but remained close friends and remarried on March 22, 1995, in Reno, Nevada.
At 19, Ken left Indianapolis to attend Western New Mexico University in Las Cruces on a football scholarship, earning his B.A. in English and mathematics in 1965. After receiving an M. A. in British literature at New Mexico State University in 1967, he taught for one year at Las Cruces High School while also being very active in university and community theatre. In 1968, he was appointed instructor in English at Utah State University and, at the same time, entered the doctoral program at the University of Utah, completing his degree in 1973 in creative writing, the area where he would become most distinguished.
Ken’s academic career was spent at Utah State, where he was a prominent and revered faculty member. He was appointed assistant professor in 1973, then promoted to associate professor (1979) and professor (1994). He retired in 2000, having taught courses in poetry writing, essay writing, methods of teaching creative writing, and creative nonfiction. He pioneered the teaching of creative writing online. The Associated Students of USU honored his teaching by inviting him to deliver a “Last Lecture” in 1997. Ken also served as Director of Graduate Studies in English, a role for which he was named Outstanding Graduate Mentor in 1998. Always a strong proponent of public humanities, he was constantly active in bringing writers, scholars, and artists to campus, particularly as director of the Mountain West Writers and Western Writing Conference.
Ken is most known and respected for his poetry. During his career he published well over 300 poems, essays, and reviews, including 12 books of poetry—with two more soon forthcoming. In recognition of the substance and quality of his work—as well as his advocacy of the humanities—Governor Michael Leavitt named him the state’s Poet Laureate in 2003, a post in which Ken was serving at the time of his death. Ken said this appointment was the peak of his career, and he devoted himself to making poetry more widely appreciated and accessible across the state, whether he was addressing the legislature or encouraging second graders to write poems. Many others in the state recognized his work: he received lifetime achievement awards from City Art in Salt Lake (1998) and the Utah Humanities Council (2006) as well as a Writers Advocate Award from Writers @ Work (2000). He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Utah Arts Council, a member of the National Advisory Board for the Writers @ Work Conference, and a member of the Advisory Board of the Utah State University Press. Some of his finest poetry was written during his courageously honest and open battle with pancreatic cancer. When he was featured on CBS Evening News, he received appreciative responses from across the country for his compassion and understanding of what this illness means.
He is survived by his wife, Bobbie; children and spouses Kimberley Brewer Mullinix (George), Dr. Jonathan K. Brewer (Miriam), Jennifer Sorensen (Kevin Holdsworth), and Meredith Kirkwood (Scott); grandchildren Dylan Marsing, Katherine Pickering, Jacqueline Pickering, Nicholas Kirkwood, Caroline Brewer, Christopher Holdsworth; and great grandson Rylee Kenneth Marsing. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandmother Mary Messersmith, and brother Charles Brewer.
A memorial service for family and friends will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Logan on Saturday, March 18, at 2:00 p.m. A commemoration of his life and career will be held on Saturday, April 29, on the Utah State campus. Donations may be sent to the Kenneth W. Brewer Creative Writing Award, c/o the Department of English, 3200 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322-3200; or to the Stokes Nature Center, P.O. Box 4204, Logan , UT 84323.
Condolences may be extended to the family at www.allenmortuaries.net
He was born on November 28, 1941, to Juanita Virt and Ulysses Brewer in Indianapolis, Indiana. He married Carol Ann Hayton on August 22, 1964, and they were divorced on October 19, 1977. He then married Roberta (Bobbie) Stearman on September 18, 1978. They were divorced in 1986 but remained close friends and remarried on March 22, 1995, in Reno, Nevada.
At 19, Ken left Indianapolis to attend Western New Mexico University in Las Cruces on a football scholarship, earning his B.A. in English and mathematics in 1965. After receiving an M. A. in British literature at New Mexico State University in 1967, he taught for one year at Las Cruces High School while also being very active in university and community theatre. In 1968, he was appointed instructor in English at Utah State University and, at the same time, entered the doctoral program at the University of Utah, completing his degree in 1973 in creative writing, the area where he would become most distinguished.
Ken’s academic career was spent at Utah State, where he was a prominent and revered faculty member. He was appointed assistant professor in 1973, then promoted to associate professor (1979) and professor (1994). He retired in 2000, having taught courses in poetry writing, essay writing, methods of teaching creative writing, and creative nonfiction. He pioneered the teaching of creative writing online. The Associated Students of USU honored his teaching by inviting him to deliver a “Last Lecture” in 1997. Ken also served as Director of Graduate Studies in English, a role for which he was named Outstanding Graduate Mentor in 1998. Always a strong proponent of public humanities, he was constantly active in bringing writers, scholars, and artists to campus, particularly as director of the Mountain West Writers and Western Writing Conference.
Ken is most known and respected for his poetry. During his career he published well over 300 poems, essays, and reviews, including 12 books of poetry—with two more soon forthcoming. In recognition of the substance and quality of his work—as well as his advocacy of the humanities—Governor Michael Leavitt named him the state’s Poet Laureate in 2003, a post in which Ken was serving at the time of his death. Ken said this appointment was the peak of his career, and he devoted himself to making poetry more widely appreciated and accessible across the state, whether he was addressing the legislature or encouraging second graders to write poems. Many others in the state recognized his work: he received lifetime achievement awards from City Art in Salt Lake (1998) and the Utah Humanities Council (2006) as well as a Writers Advocate Award from Writers @ Work (2000). He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Utah Arts Council, a member of the National Advisory Board for the Writers @ Work Conference, and a member of the Advisory Board of the Utah State University Press. Some of his finest poetry was written during his courageously honest and open battle with pancreatic cancer. When he was featured on CBS Evening News, he received appreciative responses from across the country for his compassion and understanding of what this illness means.
He is survived by his wife, Bobbie; children and spouses Kimberley Brewer Mullinix (George), Dr. Jonathan K. Brewer (Miriam), Jennifer Sorensen (Kevin Holdsworth), and Meredith Kirkwood (Scott); grandchildren Dylan Marsing, Katherine Pickering, Jacqueline Pickering, Nicholas Kirkwood, Caroline Brewer, Christopher Holdsworth; and great grandson Rylee Kenneth Marsing. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandmother Mary Messersmith, and brother Charles Brewer.
A memorial service for family and friends will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Logan on Saturday, March 18, at 2:00 p.m. A commemoration of his life and career will be held on Saturday, April 29, on the Utah State campus. Donations may be sent to the Kenneth W. Brewer Creative Writing Award, c/o the Department of English, 3200 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322-3200; or to the Stokes Nature Center, P.O. Box 4204, Logan , UT 84323.
Condolences may be extended to the family at www.allenmortuaries.net
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