Porcella, Brewster

Brewster Porcella, 89, of Iowa City, died Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011, at home with family.

Brewster was born April 30, 1922, in Cranford, N.J., to Santiago and Meta Gray Porcella, the fourth of nine siblings. He graduated from Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill., in 1943 and served as a technical sergeant in the U.S. Army from 1944 to 1946. In June 1946, he married Bonnie June Price, with whom he had seven children and to whom he was married for 58 years until her death in 2004.

Brewster earned a master's degree in theology from Wheaton College and a divinity degree from Faith Theological Seminary in Wilmington, Del. He began his ministerial career at Indian Landing Church, Rochester, N.Y., in 1950 and went on to pastor Twin City Bible Church in Urbana, Ill., for 10 years.

After earning an M.S. degree in library science from the University of Illinois in 1964, Brewster began a second career as librarian at University of Iowa Libraries, where he advanced from assistant acquisitions librarian to head of the acquisitions department. He then pursued a Ph.D. in library science at the University of Illinois, which he earned in 1973.

From 1973 to 1993, Brewster served as head librarian at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Ill., where his background as a pastor and a librarian ideally suited him for his role as a resource, mentor and teacher for students in a seminary setting.

In retirement, Brewster and Bonnie June lived for 11 years in Loveland, Colo., where they enjoyed the mountains and many nationwide travels and adventures, and where Brewster served as a part-time pastor in churches in Sterling and Boulder.

Brewster was a lifelong avid reader and book lover, a sports fan, a movie buff, and an aficionado of all kinds of music, especially jazz and bluegrass.

He was a faithful and loving friend and family man. He was a minister of the Gospel.

He is survived by his seven children, Brewster, Aleta (Alan Murphy), Bonita (Andy Cartoun), Meta (Jon Nelson), Guy (Michelle), Margherita (Joe Blomberg) and Angelita (Bill Schmidt); 12 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; his brother, Santiago Porcella; and his special friend, Betty Lou Tucker.

Visitation will be Saturday at Lensing Funeral Service in Iowa City from 10:30 a.m. to noon, with a memorial service beginning at noon. Burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Rock Island National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made in Brewster's name to the Coralville Public Library Foundation.

Online condolences may be directed to

Published Nov. 18, 2011, in The Gazette