Spotlight on Jim Brewer

Joyce Wainscott

Spend much time around Jim Brewer and you will discover two things: he does not enjoy talking about himself, and you will probably hear a joke. Jim delivers both humor and friendship with the quick smile that has made him one of SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary’s most approachable members. What he rarely mentions is the remarkable life behind that smile.

Born in West Texas in 1949 to parents shaped by the Great Depression, Jim followed a different path from many children. Ask what made the greatest difference in his life, however, and he does not hesitate: the Marine Corps.

Two days after high-school graduation, Jim boarded a bus for boot camp. The Corps gave a quiet young man confidence, discipline, leadership, and belief in what he could accomplish. Testing revealed an exceptional aptitude for air traffic control—launching a career spanning military service, aviation, aerospace, and America’s space program.

After Air Traffic Control School in Brunswick, Georgia, Jim was assigned to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in California. During eight years in the Marines, he served primarily in California, with assignments in Southeast Asia and Tennessee. There he married Betty Jo. More than 55 years later, they are still writing that story together, having raised two daughters and built a life grounded in family and adventure.

After leaving the Marines, Jim planned to attend law school while working as an FAA air traffic controller. Then history intervened: the 1981 air traffic controllers’ strike abruptly ended that career. Following two years as a police and fire dispatcher, an unexpected call from Rockwell International changed everything.

Rockwell was building the emerging Global Positioning System. Jim immersed himself in satellite testing, systems engineering, orbital dynamics, space logistics, and launch operations. His expertise eventually made him one of a team of technical advisors to the United States Air Force on GPS satellite operations—work that took him to Colorado Springs for 30 years. His career culminated as Backup Chief Engineer at Cape Canaveral, helping ensure satellites were ready for launch.

Today, GPS powers aviation, emergency response, shipping, agriculture, financial networks, telecommunications, and the smartphone in nearly every pocket. Billions rely on technology Jim helped bring from concept to reality. Few can say their work changed how the world navigates. Jim can. He simply is not likely to tell you.

Retirement brought Jim and Betty Jo to SaddleBrooke in 2018. He joined SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary in 2023 and quickly became active in projects serving Arizona’s Copper Corridor. Rotary is the newest chapter in a life devoted to service. If work needs doing, Jim is probably already there—without seeking recognition and usually with a joke, although a few may deserve to remain classified Marine Corps material.

Marine. Air traffic controller. Dispatcher. Technical advisor. Backup Chief Engineer. Rotarian. Those titles tell an impressive story, but one word tells it best: service. Not bad for a man who still insists he does not like talking about himself.

SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary Home Goods Find Good Homes

Christianne Dettmann

The SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary Club works regularly with the Tucson Housing First program to support their tireless work benefiting needy families across greater Tucson. On Aug. 27 of this year, club members personally donated a broad assortment of home goods—including couches, end tables, chairs, an entertainment center, housewares, bedding, and suitcases—that filled two Ford F-150 truck beds (plus interiors) and a flatbed lift truck to capacity. Additionally, a new resident of SaddleBrooke Ranch donated a $100 Target gift card, which was given to the Program lead to purchase other much-needed items.

You can learn more about the Housing First program at tucsonaz.gov. Under the Departments menu, click Housing and Community Development, then scroll to and click Addressing and Ending Homelessness. Find and expand the Housing First Program, then select Learn More about Housing First. You can also learn more about the SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary Club at saddlebrookesunriserotary.org. The club serves in a variety of ways across Arizona’s Copper Corridor and beyond. Scroll to the “Where We Serve” section for more details.

Spotlight on Patty See

Joyce Wainscott

When Patty signed up for freshman chemistry (University of Arizona), she expected to memorize the periodic table. Instead, she discovered a “new element”: Charlie See.

Born in Rochester, N.Y., Patty grew up with a civil engineer father, June Cleaver mother, two brothers, and a large extended family. The values instilled shaped her approach to family, teaching, and service.

Moving to Tucson, another chapter began, leading to that freshman chemistry class.

Patty and Charlie dated throughout college, and on Christmas night—stranded in a sandy riverbed on Reddington Road in a run-down sedan that required a push to start—Charlie proposed. Charlie went for help, but returned minutes later, handed her a Bowie knife, saying, “Keep this, there is an escaped convict nearby,” Patty, in a dress and heels, followed. Charlie whispered, “If there’s a dog, the rancher may come out with a gun. If he does, drop to the ground.” The rancher proved friendly and got them back on the road. No candlelight or violins, just an engagement ring, a Bowie knife, and the promise that life would never be dull.

After graduation, Patty and Charlie pointed an aging International Scout toward Alaska with no money or jobs; just youthful courage and confidence. They embraced building a log home, raising three sons, tanning a moose hide, and skiing conditions bringing frostbite and snow blindness.

Teaching in Alaska, Patty and Charlie met children whose childhoods were very different from theirs. They found families needing guidance and someone to believe in them. They stepped up.

The family settled on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, raising their three sons. Camping, fishing, family traditions, and annual vacations to Hawaii created treasured memories.

Charlie ventured into commercial fishing and later an overnight fishing charter. Patty became the indispensable partner behind the scenes.

With their sons grown, they accepted a one-year teaching assignment in Turkey. One year became 13, taking Patty and Charlie to Turkey, Japan, and South Korea. Visits from sons and grandchildren added treasured memories.

Teaching overseas, Patty realized children from different cultures speak different languages, but flourish when someone believes in them. It was her guiding light.

Today, Patty and Charlie divide their year between Kenai, Alaska, and SaddleBrooke. Alaska for family, lifelong friends, and breathtaking scenery; Arizona for warmer weather and a “family” united in service through SaddleBrooke Sunrise Rotary.

Patty brings a lifetime of experience and commitment to young people to Sunrise Rotary’s work in the Copper Corridor. She works in the Snack Program at San Manuel Primary School, the Little Free Library, and volunteers in classrooms, helping children learn and build confidence. Whether sharing a healthy snack, a trip to the zoo, or quiet encouragement, Patty knows small acts of kindness leave the biggest impressions.

Patty insists she’s the cautious one in the family; life says otherwise. Patty may have realized the Bowie knife wasn’t just protection from an escaped convict—it was fair warning about the life she was choosing. Fortunately for countless children, friends, and Rotarians, she said yes.