Archie Norman Brewer, long-time Carthage area resident and dairyman/farmer, died of age-related illnesses early Saturday morning, September 22, 2018 at his home northeast of Carthage. He was 99.
Archie and his wife, Irene, moved their farming operation from Norway, Kan. to County Road 100 in 1961. They named the property Maple Lane Farm and their historic home became the gathering place for an immediate family now numbering 66. Irene died in 2015. Four of Archie’s seven children were with him when he died. One son, Mark, of Carthage, had died only hours earlier of injuries suffered in a car accident on Tuesday.
Archie had remained interested in his farm, now 240 acres. He enjoyed his frequent visitors, and his competitive nature helped sustain him. Earlier this month, he beat two of his children in games of spades. But a few days ago playing became too difficult and after losing a hand to his son Joe, Archie said, “I’m all out of play.”
Archie was born on September 12, 1919 in the farmhouse of his parents, Joseph and Norma Brewer of rural Concordia, Kan. He was a graduate of Concordia High School and attended Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan. In the mid-1960s, Archie built a 22-acre lake at Maple Lane Farm, rejecting warnings of so-called experts that it would not hold water. It has. Well stocked with bass, crappie and catfish, it has long been popular with fishermen for $1 a day. Archie had expanded his farming operation to about 1,500 acres by the early 1980s, working alongside Dale Johnson of rural Oronogo, an employee who became a close friend. Besides milking about 160 Holstein cows, he had a beef herd and thoroughbred Appaloosa horses. He and Irene enjoyed traveling to tracks to see their horses run, including trips to New Mexico, Florida and New York. Archie was active in his community, helping start the Center Point 4-H Club.
After his marriage to Irene, daughter of a Lutheran minister, Archie became a devoted and active Lutheran, and belonged to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. He was an active dairyman and served on the national board of American Milk Producers, Inc. He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars, having served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He went to flight school, but suffered an appendicitis attack shortly before he was to solo. Army regulations kept him from rescheduling that flight. He was deployed to India, where his main task was setting the timing mechanism on bombs. Archie served on the Norway, Kan., school board and was the second farmer in Republic County to put in an irrigation system.
Survivors include six children, Norman (Judy) of Bethesda, Md., Vallie Cook of Carl Junction; Renie (Doug) Wilson of Chicago; Mary Ellen (Phil) Morgan of Columbia,Tenn., Joseph of West Plains, Mo., and informally adopted son Michael “Butch” Taft (Charlene) of Harbor City, Calif., Julie Winter of rural Carthage, soulmate of Mark; 21 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church or VFW post 534 in Joplin, in care of the funeral home.
Funeral services are 2:00 p.m. Friday, September 28, 2018 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 8978 County Lane 170, Carthage. Visitation will be from 6-8:00 p.m. Thursday evening at the church. Arrangements are under the personal care and direction of Housh-Goodwin Funeral Home in Sarcoxie, MO.
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