Nell Walker Brewer

Nell Walker Brewer (86) of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, died on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at

home with family and her loving husband of 21 years, George Tatum, watching the birds and

deer she loved. Born in Robeline, Louisiana, on November 29, 1937, to Bertye and Vaughn

Walker of Hamburg, Arkansas, Nell was raised in Hamburg and attended Gulf Park College for

Women in Gulfport, Mississippi, for high school. Nell met her first husband, Bobby Lee Brewer,

while they were both attending the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. During the early years

of their marriage, the couple lived in Fayetteville, Arkansas; New Orleans, Louisiana; and

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Their first child, Cass, was born while the couple resided in

Fayetteville.

In 1962, the couple purchased the hardware store Nell’s grandfather had founded in Hamburg,

Arkansas, in the early 1900’s. Six years later, the couple adopted their second child, Robyn.

When their son Cass left Hamburg in 1979 to attend Vanderbilt University, Nell got the bug to

go back to school to complete her college education. She went to the University of Arkansas,

Monticello, where she completed a BS in psychology and associate of Nursing degree. Then,

after 20 years of running the hardware store in Hamburg, Nell and Bob moved with their

daughter Robyn to Monroe, Louisiana. Nell worked as an ER nurse while Bob completed his

masters of geology.

After two years in Monroe where Bob completed his coursework, the family moved to Hot

Springs, Arkansas. Nell and Bob had dreamed of living in Hot Springs for many years. Nell

started a job as a nursing instructor at what was then Garland County Community College. A

favorite among her students and the other faculty, winning several faculty awards, Nell loved

teaching. She went on to complete her Master of Nursing degree at the University of Central

Arkansas, in Conway. Nell was a congressional district coordinator for the American Nurses

Association and a past president and political rally chair for District 12 of the Arkansas Nurses

Association. In addition to her professional activities, Nell was involved in various community

and charitable organizations in Hot Springs, including the Charitable Christian Medical Clinic of

Hot Springs.

When Nell and Bob were preparing to retire, they moved to Hot Springs Village. Unfortunately,

Bob died in October of 1998, before the completion of their new home. To stay engaged in the

community and heal from Bob’s untimely death, Nell continued teaching for several more

years. Nell was also a member of PEO, active leader with the Unitarian Universalist Village

Church, and a reading volunteer in local schools. She continued many hobbies she shared with

Bob including travel, golf, and bridge.

After several years in Hot Springs Village, Nell met another Village resident, George Arthur

Tatum. Nell and George were married on March 23, 2003. The couple made their home

together in Hot Springs Village. Both retired, they traveled, entertained friends and neighbors,

played golf, played bridge, hosted family reunions to build relationship amongst their grown

children, and enjoyed feeding the birds and deer.

Nell was diagnosed with cancer in 2020 and beginning in 2022, Nell’s health began to decline.

George was Nell’s dedicated and loving caregiver throughout her declining years, attending to

Nell’s every need. Nell died two days short of her 21 st anniversary with George.

Nell was preceded in death by her father Vaughn William Walker, mother Bertye Cassady

Reamey, stepfather Pete Reamey, first husband Bobby Lee Brewer, grandson Tyler Reamey Earl

Remington, and stepson Todd Tatum. Nell is survived by her husband George Tatum of Hot

Springs Village, Arkansas; son Cass (Vicki) Brewer of Atlanta, Georgia; daughter Robyn (Mark)

Jamison of Bella Vista, Arkansas; stepdaughter Lea Tatum Haskell of Topeka, Kansas; 4

grandchildren; and 3 great grandchildren.

A celebration of Nell Walker Brewer’s rich and amazing life will be held at 1:00PM, Saturday,

April 13, at the Unitarian Universalist Village Church in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. In lieu of

flowers, the family asks donations be made to the Hot Springs Village Animal Welfare League,

195 Cloaca Lane, Hot Springs Village, AR 71909. Arrangements were made under the direction 

of CedarVale Funeral Home inside Hot Springs Village. Guests may register at 

cedarvalefuneralhome.com