George came to the marriage with a son, Channing, who worked for Eastman Kodak in Whittier, and who passed away five days before Veva’s 100th birthday. George and Veva had a daughter, Victoria, who is a teacher in Ventura. While the children were young, Veva was involved as a Girl Scout leader, president of the PTA, and active in the League of Women Voters.After moving to Santa Paula, Veva began her research to enable her to join the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), a patriotic organization. In order to become a member, one must prove she is descended from someone who was connected with the Revolutionary War. Veva’s ancestor was Nathan Lewis of North Carolina, who was a private in Ballard’s Company of the 10th North Carolina Regiment. Lewis served for nine months in George Washington’s army.Ladies helping to celebrate Veva’s 100th, in addition to Veva and her daughter Victoria Paul of Ventura, were Mary Fuller of Ventura, Susan Johnston of Oxnard, Linda Stallard of Camarillo, Mary Schwabauer of Moorpark, and from Santa Paula, Gretchen and Lisa Frey, Linda Ferris, Janet King, Martha Binsley, Murrell Hilton, Virginia Gunderson, and the hostess Beverly Harding.
Viva Mann celebrates 100th birthday, honored at parties
September 08, 2006
Santa Paula News
Veva Brewer Mann, a resident of Santa Paula since 1975, recently celebrated her 100th birthday.
Veva Brewer Mann, a resident of Santa Paula since 1975, recently celebrated her 100th birthday. She was honored by parties given by her Presbyterian Church, her beauty shop and her friends in the Daughters of the American Revolution.A remarkable woman, Veva was born August 15, 1906 in Mt. Hope, Kansas, the daughter of Will and Clara Mackie Brewer. As a child she lived with her family in Big Sandy and Havre, Montana, then they returned to Kansas, where Veva earned a degree in journalism at Kansas State in Manhattan.She had a series of jobs as a secretary in Wichita, Kansas, Spokane, Washington, and Los Angeles, California. It was in the Los Angeles area that Veva met and married her husband of 54 years, George Mann.George met Paul Leavens, Sr. at a high school track meet before 1916, and they remained friends over the years. It was Paul who convinced George and Veva to move to Santa Paula. While still in the Los Angeles area, Veva worked as a secretary to the curator of rare books at the Huntington Library in San Marino, as well as the parish secretary for an Episcopal church.