Celebration of the Life of June Marie Kummer
1-20-2024
Dave and Melanie Brewer were gracious hosts on
Saturday afternoon at Friendship Brewery. The staff and employees were most
pleasant and I began to appreciate the spirit of craft brewing with a personal
tour of the facility. I am fond of the notion of a celebration of a life,
especially when its of the life of one of whom I have a genuine admiration.
June Marie Kummer (née Baumer) passed away peacefully at her home on January 8,
2024. Beloved wife of the late Fred S. Kummer, Jr. for 68 years; loving mother
to Caroline Croswell (Tom), Fritz Kummer (Tess) and Melanie Brewer (David).
I knew that I might find myself among grandchildren,
friends and distant relatives I didn’t know well but I have been close to the
business story of Fred Kummer and as such become somewhat familiar with the
family behind the scenes. Clearly, June was an ideal supporter and partner to Fred
Kummer. (Fred passed away in April of 2021). Bob Brandt introduced himself as a
go-to guy for the three Friendship Brewing facilities and our tour included a
visit with the quintessential Maestro sculpture figure that once occupied the
space outside Fred Kummer’s Creve Coeur office on Olive Boulevard.
June (b. 1930) graduated from Washington University in
1951 with a degree in architecture. She worked for the William B. Ittner
architectural firm prior to her marriage to Fred Kummer in 1953. He was
stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey. The couple had their first child, Caroline.
June and Fred then moved to Rolla in 1954 where he earned his degree in civil
engineering at the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy (now Missouri
University of Science and Technology). Fred and June left a significant legacy
of more than $300 Million Dollars to Missouri S&T.
This was a frigid January day with temperatures in the
single digits, but it isn’t hard to imagine coming back when the snow melts and
the Brewers follow through on landscaping plans in the outdoor beer garden. That
would surely make June smile.
