Joseph Richard Brady, 63, of Newport, RI passed away peacefully at Newport Hospital surrounded by his family Saturday, July 2, 2016.
He is predeceased by his wife of 28 years Ellen S. Brady (Caswell). They were married in Newport, at St. Mary’s Church.
Born in Jersey City, NJ on November 21st, 1952, he was the son of Dolores Grace Brady of Bogota, NJ and the late Joseph Richard Brady.
Joseph received a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1975.
Joseph served as an administrative aide in the US Congress. He was the Chief of Staff to the RI Senate Majority Leader. He was the Director of Constituent Services to the Rhode Island House of Representatives. Joseph was also the Assistant to the Director of the Department of Transportation of Rhode Island.
Joseph was elected by the Rhode Island Senate to serve as the Secretary of the Rhode Island Senate, a constitutionally appointed position.
Joseph was a man devoted to service and volunteerism in the local community. He was a Director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship fund. He was a past president of St. Joseph’s Parish Council. He faithfully attended mass at St. Joseph’s Church for over thirty years. He served as past president of Gooseberry Beach. Joseph was a member of the Knights of Columbus.
He was a board member of the Museum of Newport Irish History and a founding member of the Kinsale, Ireland – Newport Twinning. Joseph was a member of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee and was a proud parade marshal.
Joseph was a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians for the last 35 years. Within the AOH, he served as Rhode Island State President, National Director and the Anti-Defamation chair. He truly embodied the motto of “Friendship, Unity, and Christian Charity”.
Joe loved to sing and was a founding member of “The Whiskey Tenors” and the Newport Ancient Order of Hibernians Men’s Singers.
He is predeceased by his father Joseph Brady Sr. Joseph is survived by his mother Dolores Brady of Bogota, NJ, his sisters Eileen Brady of Bogota, NJ, and Jane Ledingham and her husband Richard of Bogota, NJ, his brother Stephen and his wife Pamela of Newport, RI, his daughter Amy Hansen and her husband LCDR John Hansen and their four children of Jacksonville, FL, his daughter Kathryn Brady of Jacksonville, FL, his son Joseph Brady III and his wife Jennifer of Middletown, RI. He also leaves his long-time companion Sheila Dunn and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Visiting hours will be held from 4-7pm on Tuesday July 5, 2016, in the O’Neill-Hayes Funeral Home, 465 Spring Street Newport, RI. A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Wednesday July 6, 2016 at 10 am at St. Joseph’s Church on Broadway and Mann Avenue, in Newport. Burial will follow at St. Columba Cemetery, 465 Brown’s Lane, Middletown, RI.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Ellen S. Brady Nursing Scholarship, PO Box 573, Newport, RI, 02840.
