Esther Lee Brewer Sewell
Esther Lee Brewer Sewell died peacefully in her sleep Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, from heart complications.
Esther was born Aug. 12, 1954, in Oak Ridge to Betty and Jim Brewer. She enjoyed celebrating her birthday throughout the entire month of August.
She graduated from Oak Ridge High School in 1972. During high school, she dated and later married Frank Sewell. They had one daughter, Rachael.
Esther loved music, especially the blues, and enjoyed attending blues festivals across the country. Two of her favorite festivals were Springing the Blues in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, and the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Arkansas. She was particularly fond of Tab Benoit and the Tedeschi Trucks Band.
Esther had too many jobs to list during her lifetime, but her favorite occupation was farming.
Later in life, she married Roger Peterson, a lifelong friend who grew up on the same street. She and Roger were active members of East Tennessee FARM (Farmers Association for Retail Marketing). Esther was enthusiastic about selling her produce at weekly farmers markets. She even created business cards that read simply: “Excellent Esther.” She served on the FARM board and contributed in many ways to the organization.
At their home, Esther and Roger cultivated fruits, vegetables and berries. They kept bees, chickens, and guineas, and raised loving farm dogs — often taking in strays. Their home was known as a welcoming place, especially in the summer, to relax at their pool.
Her friend Greg Bailey once said, “She was a fine and generous woman and a good lifelong friend.”
Esther loved the outdoors and especially loved to go camping. She made many trips to the mountains and local state parks, enjoying the beauty of each park and meeting new friends along the way. She also served as a leader in local Girl Scout troops.
Esther had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh. She was an excellent cook and used her freshly grown produce to create delicious meals. Esther had an amazingly uncanny lucky streak. She often won concert tickets, prizes, drawings and raffles. She was the person you wanted to play the lottery with.
She started a “Ladies Who Lunch” group that would meet about once a month. Not just for ladies, everyone was welcome. She worked hard to coordinate schedules so they could all connect with one another. Her friend Sandy Glazier said of her, “She had that unique ability to gather people.”
She was an avid reader and was a regular patron at the Oak Ridge Public Library, often simultaneously reading three or four books. She read widely and within many genres, but especially loved humor and satire, a skill in which she herself was well accomplished. Her many witticisms will be greatly missed.
Esther was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Marilyn Jablonski; brother, Steve Summers; and many cousins, in-laws and “out-laws.”
She is survived by her husband, Roger Peterson; his sons, Justin Peterson (Michelle) and Sam Peterson (Renee); her daughter, Rachael, and grandson, Moses; her brother, Danny Brewer (Janine); nephews, nieces, and a host of friends that she loved and treasured.
Truly, she was a remarkable force of nature.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity Esther would have approved of.
