Lillie Mae Brewer

Lillie Mae (Paul) Brewer, age 84, went to rest in the arms of Jesus on Saturday, October 25, 2025. Born November 15, 1940, to Lura Mae and Henry Carson Paul, Lillie was preceded in death by her sisters Elsie (infant) and Carolyn Faye (Paul) Fortner along with her Granny Josie McFall, numerous aunts, uncles and cousins in addition to Aubrey William (A.W.) Brewer, father of her three daughters.

Left to cherish her memory and carry on her legacy are her daughters and their children…Teresa (Davey Rowland - deceased; Chris, Elizabeth and Henley Willis); Debbie Massey (Steve; Stephen Massey, Jr and fiancé Jayla; Kaitlyn, Dustin and Emersyn Clark); and Stephanie (Jonathan; Ethan and Chelsea Cook); and her precious Grand Dogs: Maizie, Cheedo and Zumi Cook and Luna Belle Massey.

Lillie and her sister Carolyn were raised by their Granny Josie McFall on Vermont Avenue in Lonsdale, (Knoxville,) TN. Lillie was a proud Rule High Golden Bear and remained in close touch with the “girls from school” whom she met for monthly lunch gatherings and annual Class of ’58 Rule High reunion planning meetings for many, many years.

Lillie joined Mount Olive Baptist Church (MOBC) in South Knoxville in the late-60’s and raised her children there. She developed lifelong friendships with her Sunday School group and enjoyed singing in the choir, taking up donations for shut-ins, cooking food for the sick or mourning, collecting items for the annual Samaritan’s Purse “Operation Christmas Child” project or gathering school supplies for children who couldn’t afford them, and one of her favorite activities was supporting the young ladies in MOBC’s “Girls In Action” or G.A.’s group - because their mission is to raise strong, loving, kind young ladies into Christian women.

Lillie worked for several years at Standard Knitting Mills but took time to be a stay-at-home mother when her youngest was born. She attended Knoxville Business College and graduated from Tennessee School of Beauty and had a beauty shop in the basement of her home where she did many of her church lady friends’ hair. She returned to the workforce and changed professions as she went to work for WalMart #1320 as a cashier, Customer Service representative, and later Customer Service Manager (CSM). Often, customers would visit the Service Desk to return an item or cash a check, and they chose to wait in her line because everyone knew her and liked the way she treated them (even if it was like you were her own child in need of correction or encouragement)! Lillie trained numerous new cashiers over her two-plus decades at WalMart and many still call her “Mama Lillie” to this day.

Lillie always enjoyed playing cards with family and friends, and one of her favorite games became “dominoes.” For years, she hosted Thursday Dominoes and lunch at her house, usually with Gloria Nipper and Wilma Manning. If you didn’t know how to play a game, she was happy to teach you, especially according to her interpretation of the rules. But no matter what game she was playing, she played to win and had a very competitive spirit!

She always enjoyed traveling and seeing new sights. As she got closer to retirement, she enjoyed taking bus trips with other “seniors” she knew or met through church and was able to travel on many adventures with her family and friends, including a surprise birthday gift trip to Hawaii. Her all-time favorite vacation spot was at the beach-any beach, any time, didn’t matter…the ocean was a true “happy place” for her.

One of her lifetime loves was attending and watching sporting events—any sporting activity was enjoyable, but she especially loved watching the Vols play football, basketball and baseball and Lady Vols basketball and softball. She was such a serious sports fan that she would say, “don’t bother me while the game is on…” and we didn’t until half time!

The family will receive friends from 5 PM until 7 PM on Monday, November 3, 2025, in the sanctuary of Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 2500 Maryville Pike with a Celebration of Life service to follow at 7 PM. Pastor Kirby Ownby officiating. Family and friends will meet on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at Woodlawn Cemetery, 4500 Woodlawn Pike for an 11 AM interment service.

In lieu of flowers, per Lillie’s request, please donate to MOBC’s Girls In Action program or the annual Operation Christmas Child program.

The family requests that in tribute to her precious memory, don’t be so serious all the time but have fun and enjoy the laughter, take or make an opportunity to “be a blessing” to someone else, encourage a stranger, send cards for birthdays, to get well and in sympathy, take a meal to a friend who is hurting, pray for your family, friends, “enemies,” and let God take care of the rest.

The family invites you to share your fond memories of Lillie at www.berryfuneralhome.com