Donald Gene Brewer, age 73, passed away on Sunday, May 21, 2023, at his residence in Newland, N.C. with his loving wife, family, and friends by his side.
Don was born on September 29, 1949, in Bibb County, Georgia, of the late Carl Leroy Brewer and the late Margaret Scott Brewer.
Don received a BA from Furman University and a Master's in Criminal Justice from Georgia State.
During his 26 years with the United States Secret Service, Don was widely admired for his significant investigative accomplishments. He spent his early years as an undercover and case agent in the Atlanta Field Office before moving to Miami, where he spent 11 years in the 1980s when Miami was the counterfeit capital of the world. But perhaps his most noteworthy results were associated with an almost perfect counterfeit $100 Federal Reserve Note of foreign origin, known by the cognoscenti as “the Supernote”. In 1996, Don led a task force that traveled to Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, and other exotic locales to identify and arrest more than a half-dozen major traffickers of this note. Although much of the task force’s exploits still remain under wraps due to classified content, their efforts directly resulted in the positive identification of North Korea as the ultimate source of the counterfeit currency. Don’s ingenuity, resourcefulness, and dogged determination were on full display throughout this complex investigation. Don retired as Special Agent-In-Charge of the Counterfeit Division in Washington, D.C. in 1999.
Don has appeared on the Discovery Channel and the Learning Channel in episodes detailing the manufacturing of counterfeit U.S. currency. In addition, he has given speeches and made presentations regarding counterfeit U.S. currency at various conferences and seminars sponsored by Interpol and other foreign police agencies. From 1999 to 2004, he served as the Chief of Security at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, GA, but retired when he developed throat cancer. Don then became a published author, writing his first book “Worthy of Trust and Confidence” which received Grand Prize Winner, Western Division in the Ultimate Hero Writing Contest and Finalist, Young Adult Book of the Year by the Colorado Author’s League. He then wrote the sequel “Thunder Mountain”.
He was a member of the Association of Former Agents of the United States Secret Service, the National Association of Eagle Scouts, the National Association of Peruvian Horses of America, the Western Writers of America, the Colorado Authors League, and a member of the National Association of Laryngectomy Clubs.
Don was well-traveled and loved adventure. His quick-wittedness, kindness, generosity of time, resources, and helpfulness were gifts to many. He loved horseback riding, especially with his two horses Animoso and Torreon. He also enjoyed his two sports cars, a 1967 Austin Healy and a 2002 Maserati. He was a self-taught knife maker and most recently was teaching himself how to play the guitar. He enjoyed quail, turkey, and duck hunting; but, his favorite pastime of all was spending time with his six grandchildren whom he shared all of his passions.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his aunts and uncles, Walter and Dorothy Scott, Velma and Boman Cotton, Walter and Venita Brewer, and cousin, Fay Melvin.
Don leaves behind his loving wife of 25 years, Linda Hollander Brewer; son, Brian (Joan) Brewer of Lilburn, GA; grandchildren, Elizabeth, Mary Helen, and Joshua Brewer; daughters, Julie Schenden of Springhill, TN, and Joy (Steve) Klein of Canton, GA; grandchildren, Stephen, Kaitlyn, and Matthew Klein; cousins Patricia Nail of Louisville, KY, Zoe Jones of Savannah, GA, Candy Brewer, Naomi Mullis and Garrie Underwood of Macon, GA.
The family would like to extend their sincere thanks and appreciation to Amorem (Hospice), UNC-Chapel Hill, ICU & MPCU staff and Duke University Select Specialty hospital staff.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

UNC Medical Center Nursing Excellence Fund (345819)

in memory of Donald G. Brewer

(https://give.unc.edu/gift/brew)