Ronald Brewer, 54, son of former governor, dies

Former Gov. Jan Brewer on Monday announced that her eldest son, Ronald Brewer, had died unexpectedly over the weekend. He was 54.

“Heartbreaking news for me,” Brewer wrote on Twitter, sharing a link to an online obituary. “Prayers for me and my family as we grieve are greatly appreciated.”

Brewer already lost one of her three sons, John Brewer, to cancer in 2007.

The cause of Ronald Brewer’s death was not immediately clear. The obituary said only that he had died in his sleep Saturday in Phoenix, and a family representative did not comment further.

Ronald Brewer had dealt with mental illness for decades, spending much of his life in a state-funded mentalhealth facility after being found not guilty by reason of insanity in a 1989 sexual-assault case.

Jan Brewer said in 2010 that her son had “fought hard for his well-being, before and after (the) incident,” and that his illness informed her perspectives and decisions on mental- and behavioral-health policy.

The obituary shared Monday focused on Ronald’s “adventurous spirit and outgoing personality” and “beaming smile, sense of humor and giggle.”

“He attended private high school in Provo, Utah, and graduated valedictorian of his class,” the obituary said. “Ron loved his shoes, which would take him to his favorite activities like camping, enjoying nature, picking out flowers and experiencing hiking up the Hole in the Rock to watch the brilliant Phoenix sunsets.

“He’d share anything he had with anyone he met.”

Visitation will be 6 to 8 tonight at West Resthaven Funeral Home in Glendale. A funeral service begins at 11 a.m. Thursday at Life in Christ Lutheran in Peoria.