Local attorney Brewer retiring after 42 years of full-time practice

Del Brewer

Local attorney Delbert (“Del”) H. Brewer has announced he will be closing his law office at 110 W. Walnut St., Greencastle, as of Dec. 15.

He and his wife Kay, who has been his office manager for years, plan to retire from the full-time practice of law after 42 years of legal service to the Putnam County community.

Brewer will join the law firm of Sutherlin, Zeiner and Barclay at 105 E. Washington St., Greencastle, as “of counsel,” meaning primarily retired, but associated for consultation and possibly a greatly reduced workload.

Brewer opened his law office in April 1975, and served two terms as the elected Putnam County prosecuting attorney from 1979-1987. He did not seek a third term, but continued to serve as a deputy prosecuting attorney for approximately another 16 years under both Robert J. Lowe and Matthew Headley before leaving that office the end of 2004.

The Brewers contracted to sale their office building in May of this year, and the sale was finalized in September.

“I plan on keeping my license for several more years and may do some legal work, but Kay and I plan on seeing this country while we both are in relative good health,” Brewer said, stopping to show a cellphone photo of a nice, new motor home that will be their mode of travel. “My twin sister will be 76 in March -- I do have a twin sister -- and I know there will come a time when we won’t be able to do the things we can do now.”

Del and Kay have two daughters, Cindy Brewer and Jill Spiker, who both live in Greencastle, and one grandson, Cary Russell, who resides in Terre Haute.

Brewer grew up in New Castle, graduating from high school in 1960. In 196l, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and during the next four years plus, he did two tours in the Far East, the last tour in Vietnam where he was a infantry machine gun squad leader with weapons platoon A Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment.

He arrived in Vietnam in August 1965 two days before the start of Operation Starlite, which is said to be the first major battle of the Vietnam war involving a large number of American troops. In addition to “Starlite” he participated in several combat operations in Vietnam, attaining the rank of sergeant E-5, receiving his honorable discharge in 1966.

After returning from Vietnam Brewer began his college education at Carson Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn., later transferring to East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in Johnson City, Tenn., where he graduated with a BS degree in 1969. He was elected and served as president of the student government in 1969 and was listed in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.

Upon graduating from ETSU he returned to Indiana and entered the evening division of Indiana University Law School at Indianapolis, graduating in 1974. It was during this time that he and Kay met and were married in 1972, living in Greenfield. They both worked full time while he completed his legal education and he was admitted to the bar in 1974.

Del and Kay picked Greencastle as the location where they wanted to live and raise a family. When they relocated from Greenfield in 1975, they only knew one person in the local community.

“Kay and I are so glad we made that choice,” Brewer said. “Putnam County has been very good to us and it has been an honor and privilege to live in and to serve the citizens of this community.”

One of the things of which he is most proud, Brewer said, is being part of the original group that first met in 1987, and planned and built the Big Walnut Sports Park that still serves the youth of Putnam County today.

Brewer served as sports park president for the first five years and proudly points out that the project was built with volunteer help and gifts from the local community without receiving any tax money until the park was turned over to the City of Greencastle in May 2014.

“Kay and I want to thank the many friends and clients we have met over the last 42 years as well as the other members of the legal community,” Brewer said. “I know I will miss meeting with clients on a regular basis and trying to help individuals with their legal problems. I look forward to being associated on the limited basis as ‘of counsel’ with John Zeiner and Stacy Barclay.”