Joe Gregory (Greg) Brewer, 66, of Huntsville, Alabama, passed away on Friday, September 2, 2022, surrounded by his family.
Greg was born on August 29, 1956, in Florence, Alabama, to Joe and Dot Brewer. He was active in sports growing up, playing both football and baseball, but it was sports officiating that became his passion. Greg could be found on baseball diamonds across the city as a young teenager umpiring for those same youth leagues where he once played. But it became much more than the sport itself that motivated Greg. He found great joy and fulIillment in being a mentor to and having a positive inIluence on the youth he interacted with in his various vocations throughout his life.
After graduating in 1975 from Bradshaw High School where he served as Student Council president during his senior year, Greg attended the University of North Alabama (UNA) and earned bachelor’s degrees in business management and physical education. In 1976, while attending UNA, he became associated with the Alabama High School Athletics Association (AHSAA), serving as a contest official in football, baseball, and basketball through 1992. Also while at UNA, he served as the executive director of the Florence Little League from 1977-1979. Following his graduation from UNA in 1980, Greg received his master’s degree from the University of Alabama where he was a graduate assistant in the Athletic Department and also served as an academic assistant for baseball. Greg also taught an officiating class for a variety of sports and was the official scorer for the Crimson Tide basketball program from 1980-2001. He also served as a staff member with the American Legion’s Boys State program from 1981-1992.
In 1985, Greg was hired by the AHSAA as an assistant director and served as the office’s Computer System Administrator where he oversaw the purchasing and maintenance of the office automation system. In 1988, he became the Director of Officials and his passion was reignited. He was responsible for editing the AHSAA Officials Guide and the AHSAA Mechanics Manual, coordinating the bi-annual reclassification of member schools, and helping administrate championship events in all sports. But his impact was not limited to sports in the state of Alabama. He represented the AHSAA with distinction while working with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) in many capacities which included serving numerous terms on the NFHS baseball and football rules committees and the equipment sub-committee. Throughout his career with the AHSAA, Greg had a tremendous impact on raising the standards of officiating for all high school sports, and his efforts have been recognized on both the state and national levels. Here are some of Greg’s most signiIicant accomplishments:
• He established statewide training camps for officials in all sports.
• He pioneered the formation of District Directors for officials in each of the eight districts within the state of Alabama.
• He developed an evaluation system which is used by the District Directors as a tool to rate and select officials for state playoff contests.
• He developed and helped implement the AHSAA pitch count rule for baseball, which has been applauded nationwide as a standard designed to protect young athletes.
• He created a sports officiating class for high school students which is being taught in more than 40 schools across the state.
• After he retired in 2017, he co-founded the Alabama Sports Officials Foundation (ASOF), a non-proIit foundation that helps secure educational scholarships at state schools for the children of sports officials. He served as board chairman for the ASOF until his death.
Here are some of the honors bestowed on Greg during his career and into his retirement:
• He was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.
• He received the National Federation of State High School Association’s Section 3 Citation Award in 2006.
• He received the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Distinguished Service Award in 2012.
• He received the Alabama State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Leader Award in 2015.
• He was inducted into the Lauderdale County Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
Greg’s magnetic personality, warm smile, and unconditional love for people are just a few things that made him such an incredible treasure to everyone who knew him. He was a loving son, a caring brother, an adoring uncle, and a devoted friend. Greg’s life was full of accomplishments and honors of which he was very proud, but nothing had his heart more than his family and friends whom he cherished so deeply. He will be greatly missed.
Greg Brewer is survived by his mother, Dot Brewer, of Florence; his brother, Jeff Brewer (Jan), of Huntsville; his nieces, Dr. Kathryn Gallaway of Dallas, TX, Ashley Jinright (J.J.) of Huntsville, and Lauren Brewer of Huntsville; two great-nieces, Alexa and Sophie Gallaway of Dallas, TX; and a number of aunts, cousins, and other extended family members. He was preceded in death by his father, Joe Brewer, and a niece, Emily Brewer. He was an active member of the Jordan Park Church of Christ in Huntsville.
Visitation will be from 1:00-3:00 pm on Thursday, September 8, 2022, at Greenview Memorial Chapel in Florence. A funeral service will immediately follow in the chapel.
Active pallbearers will be Charlie Brewer, Alvin Briggs, Perry Butler, Bill Cochran, Jerry Crowell, Jeff Hilyer, Tim Miller, and Danny Rodgers.
Honorary pallbearers will be Herman “Bubba” Scott (deceased), Dan Washburn, and Steve Savarese, AHSAA Executive Directors for whom Greg worked.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alabama Sports OfIicials Foundation (www.alabamasportsofIicialsfoundation.com).
