Tina M. Brewer, 70, of Syracuse passed away at home surrounded by the love of her family on September 3, 2026.

Tina was born in Zanesville, OH on September 19, 1955 to the late Richard “Darrell” and Letha Minnich. She was the third of six kids, and enjoyed playing board games with the neighbors and going to football games with the cousins. After graduation she got a job as a bank teller and immediately opened savings accounts for her younger siblings. She moved from Ohio to Greensboro, NC after marrying her first husband that she met at her best friend’s wedding, Jim was a cousin of Linda Perrone’s. Her first daughter, Michelle, was born in Greensboro.

After her first husband died unexpectedly, she developed friendships with people at First Lutheran Church and joined a group in Westberry that played cards together. She also cherished time in her Mother’s Morning Out group, where she could socialize with other mothers of young children. She developed a lifelong friendship with the late Becky Maguire and made annual summer trips to Florida. Becky was good friends with Betty Coxe, and Betty introduced Tina to her younger brother Mike. Tina and Mike were married in 1982 and moved to San Antonio, TX where Mike was stationed at Fort Sam Houston. The family lived on military bases in Germany until 1985. During her time in Germany, she welcomed her second daughter, Melanie, and visited over 12 countries. She was active in the military wives volunteer efforts, co-led a Brownie girl scout troop, and enrolled Michelle in dance lessons.

The family moved back stateside in 1985. Tina cherished her time in Greensboro, NC, raising two strong, independent women. As the girls got older, she worked as a substitute teacher and then a Teaching Assistant at Sumner Elementary School and at the Greensboro Coliseum. It was important to Tina that her kids have home cooked meals every day. She faithfully kept up with all the family activities and schooling from girl scouts, to dance, and church youth events in addition to Mike’s Army Reserve service. She served in leadership roles with PTAs, co-leading scout troops, and other activities.

She loved to travel and summers were filled with visiting family and friends in Florida, Texas, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. She maintained military friendships and the Christmas letters highlighted the years for others scattered around the world. She went back to Europe for 3 weeks with Melanie and Phil in 2014, and often talked of Heidelberg as the family’s first homeplace.

She was a faithful member of First Lutheran Church in Greensboro, and an active member of the Sullivan Huddle Women’s Circle. She was a wedding planner for the church, volunteered at Face Out and many other events. She supported her daughters through First Communion and Confirmation, and hosted informal youth gatherings for the girls’ sets of friends.

She enjoyed traveling the world with her family and baking goodies for all to enjoy. All of this prepared her for her greatest calling, becoming a Mee Maw to her grandsons, Jake and Ryan. In 2017, Tina and Mike moved to Syracuse to live down the road from the boys. They took many trips together from Old Forge, to Sight & Sound Theater, a couple Caribbean cruises and trips to Disney World. She also enjoyed volunteering her time at the Syracuse VA Medical Center, affectionately being known as the “cart lady”. As Tina’s health declined, many of her friends from the VA network came through to help her along the way and bring joy into her life.

Tina was predeceased by her parents, as well as her first husband, James “Jim” Harrity.

She is survived by her husband of 44 years Michael, grandsons, Jake and Ryan Philbrick, daughters, Michelle Harrity (Jason) Lovejoy of Raleigh, NC and Melanie (Phil) Philbrick of Syracuse, NY, siblings Kirby (Holly) Minnich, Tammy (Ted) Triplett, and Joe (Myra) Minnich of Zanesville, OH, Cheryl Minnich of Salem Ohio, and Carol (Paul) Houghtiling of Greenville, MI, as well as many nieces, nephews and a couple of great and great great nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held September 9, 2026 at 10am at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church with a baked goods reception following. A family Burial will be held at Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery at 11AM.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Volunteer Services at the Syracuse VA Medical Center, https://www.cdceportal.va.gov/donate_online/.