Extracted from The Statesman Journal (Salem, OR)
Thursday, January 13, 2005

Mary Patricia Skaling (Brewer) Anderson

SALEM - Mary Patricia Skaling (Brewer) Anderson died January 10, 2005 at the age of 79.

Born March 5, 1925 in Salem, Ore., she was the eldest of two children born to Frederick Knowles and Mary Hanora Skaling. Considered bright and precocious early on, she later graduated from then Salem High School at the age of 16 while simultaneously taking courses at Willamette University. She ultimately received her Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon College of Education, including a teacher's certificate. One of her first jobs out of college was substitute teaching at both the elementary and high school levels while her hew husband, James A. Brewer, served in World War II a continent away. Upon his return, they made their home in Salem for the next 30 years, rearing seven of eight children, one of whom died shortly after childbirth. For the next 20 years, she primarily focused her time and attention on the children while also helping with the family business.

She is remembered for a number of things, among which was her penchant for lists of chores and instilling a “job worth doing is a job worth doing right” attitude in her children. She advocated for a strong education for all of her children and took great pride in both their academic and athletic accomplishments.

A Pisces, she was drawn to water, particularly the ocean whether to watch a stormy surf or cross the bar to engage in a day of deep sea fishing. She was always the last to say, “It's time to go in.” She was as much a stickler for attending Mass on Sundays as she was for stretching the household budget to afford as much as possible for the family. While admittedly not the best of cooks, she took great delight in providing custom ordered dinners for all of the children's birthdays, regardless of the time and cost to prepare. Her greatest culinary claims to fame were her razor clams and fried chicken and dumplings. Her children remember fondly her efforts to make Christmas a truly special time of year. Of particular delight was her elaborate coding system involving states, numbers, types of trees, colors, fruits and vegetables or some combination thereof to prevent her snooping children from identifying their respective gifts. All too often she would place her “code” list in a “safe place,” only to forget where and then have to rely on one daughter in particular to break the code.

It was later in life after marrying John A. Anderson that she was able to pursue one of her life passions -- travel. Cruises in particular, on which she could dance the night away, were her favorite. Hawaii was a very close second.

Given her interest in education, the family suggests contributions to the Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship Program that awards a grant annually to one Salem high school senior boy and girl. Contributions may be sent in care of BPOE Salem Lodge #336, 2336 Turner Road S.E., Salem, OR 97302, or to a charity of your choice.

She is survived by her children and their families including 12 grandchildren: Karon M. Pittman of Portland, JimmeKaye Quinn of San Diego, Kandis Brewer Nunn of Portland, Karla Brewer Robbins of Philomath, James Kent Brewer of Salem, Kimberlee S. B. Scotese of Omaha, and Kelsey P. Brewer Richardson of Salem.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Fri., Jan. 14, 2005 at City View Funeral Home Chapel, 390 Hoyt Street S., in Salem.

The family has made arrangements for private interment thereafter at City View Cemetery. Arrangements are by City View Funeral Home.