THE FLAGLER TRIBUNE
Bunnell, Florida
Thursday, September 25, 1980

City Official Dies After Meeting
SERVICES HELD FOR BROWER
By Carl Laudrie of The Tribune

Flagler Beach City Commissioner Walter Brower was buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Korona after funeral services Saturday morning at Santa Maria Del Mar Catholic Church.

His death minutes after returning home from a meeting of the city commissioners last Thursday night, shocked the community.

Flags in the city were flown at half mast Friday, black wreaths were hung in all the window and doors at city hall and all city business was canceled Monday in tribute to the commission chairman.
Bower, 63, collapsed in his home at 1508 S. Central Ave., shortly after attending a public hearing at city hall. His wife, Elvera, a former nurse, called rescuers when she discovered him on the bathroom floor suffering what appeared to be a heart attack.

The Flagler Beach Volunteer Fire Department rescue truck responded on the scene within minutes of the call, but firefighters were hampered in rescue attempts because Brower, who was more than six feet tall and tipped the scales at more that 330 pounds, had blocked the door when he fell.
After gaining entry to the bathroom, firefighters had to remove the door to extricate the victim.

After receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation at the scene, Brower was transported to the emergency room of Bunnell Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:43 p.m., an hour after collapsing.

Aside from his duties as chairman of the Flagler Beach City Commission, Brower was active countywide in charitable organizations.

He was president of the Flagler County Chapter of the American Cancer Society, quartermaster and past commander of VFW Post 5213, sergeant-at-arms of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees Chapter 58, secretary and treasurer of the Flagler Beach Lions Club and a member and head usher of Santa Maria Del Mar Catholic Church of Flagler Beach.

The Browers moved to Flagler Beach in 1970 from Asbury Park, N.J. where he retired as a civilian building inspector with the U.S. Navy.

A close family friend, Jim Sheehan, said Brower worked hard at his job as city commissioner and in the organizations he belonged to.

“He really cared about a lot of things, “ Sheehan said.

In addition to his widow, Brower is survived by two sons, John of South Daytona and Robert of San Francisco; a sister, and a brother. Craig Funeral Home of Bunnell was in charge of the arrangements.

Brower’s death leaves a gap in the Flagler Beach City Commission. Since his election in 1979 (he first was elected to a four-year term in 1972), Brower had served as chairman and was a cohesive factor on the sometimes less-than-agreeable board.

Brower was best remembered at the meetings as being a stickler for order, dealing out loud raps on the gavel to those who spoke out of turn.

As vice chairman of the Flagler Beach City Commission, Jesse McKnight will take over duties of chairman until the commission can meet and decide who to appoint to the post.

In the past, commissioners have appointed a citizen to fill out the term of the absent member. Brower’s term of office will expire in Mar 1981.

McKnight said the commission would take some action on the appointment at 7 tonight during its regularly scheduled meeting.