Kathryn Marie Brewer

Katie Brewer, age 82 of Saint Paul MN, passed away on Sept. 11, 2026.

Kathryn Marie Brewer was born in Wyandotte, Michigan, on March 8, 1944, to Fredrick John Brewer and Bernice Amanda Miller.

She earned her BA in Art & Education at Eastern Michigan University. After an early career in teaching she moved to Lutheran Campus Ministry and then Lutheran Social Services, organizations close to her heart and where she worked for two decades.

In 1988 she joined the Minnesota State Senate staff as Legislative Assistant for the Senate Governmental Operations Committee, and was later Administrator for the Commerce Committee and the Committee on Higher Education until her retirement in 2006. She was sought out for her knowledge of the issues and of the legislative process, was widely respected for her personal integrity, and mentored many staff who carried her good government ethic into their own careers and stayed connected with her over the years. She loved the Senate and continued to watch legislative committees and floor debates throughout her retirement.

Katie was a quilter and she delighted in choosing colors and fabrics. Her quilts were works of art and she made many, including for each of her friends' children. Her house was decorated every holiday with quilted pillows, door hangings and table coverings, which she also made for friends and family. She loved choosing plants for her garden and regularly won garden awards. She loved crossword puzzles, the morning newspaper, her Frappuccino "joy juice," quilting programs, political news and public policy discussions, new recipes, the MN State Fair, and election memorabilia. She was inspired by her faith, the lively minds of her friends and family, and the immense kindness and friendship of her neighbors.

Katie is survived by her sister and best friend Margaret Darling (Dennis), and by her beloved niece Michelle Bohren. The three of them shared a love of quilting and collaborated almost daily on fabrics, pattern ideas, and current projects. They will miss her deeply.

Katie is also survived by her dear cousins Janet and Al Black, Jolynne and Bill Norton, Peggy and Glen Withrow, and Donna and Al Miller and their families, with whom she shared so many happy memories, and whose calls and visits she treasured.

A memorial service will be held for Katie at 1:00pm on October 31 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 104 Snelling Avenue South, St. Paul MN, 55105.