Richard W. Brewster ’64

Richard died July 15, 2022, after a courageous battle with mesothelioma from asbestos exposure on 9/11.

He grew up in Glen Cove, N.Y., and came to Princeton from St. Paul’s School. He majored in classics and was a member of Colonial Club.

Following graduation, he attended Harvard Law School, after which he embarked on a long and successful law career in New York City. He initially worked in private practice for Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office (Eastern District of New York), where he served as chief of the criminal division. In 1979, he returned to private practice as a litigation partner at Moses Singer for 12 years, then established his own firm. In 2001 he joined the New York State attorney general’s office, where he headed up the Law Enforcement Group. He retired from there in 2016 and pursued an active mediation practice thereafter.

During the pandemic lockdown, Richard wrote and published Witchcraft Legacy: Stories from the Big Attic, a well-reviewed family memoir. He was an enthusiastic outdoorsman and upland bird hunter. Richard was a true gentleman: humble, compassionate, and genuine.

Our class extends its condolences to his wife of 31 years, Barbara; their three children; and two grandchildren.