James R. Brady, Sr.

Jim died on March 23, 2023, at the age of 92. A native Annapolitan whose family has lived in Annapolis for over 235 years, he traveled the world but always returned home to Annapolis. The only child of James Arthur Brady and Gladys Joyce Jones Brady, he was born May 10, 1930, and lived on Cathedral Street in downtown Annapolis, McKendree Avenue, and finally “in the country’ on Generals Highway for 53 years.

Trips around town would always trigger an anecdote about someone who had lived in this or that house, a local business now long gone, or some antic from his childhood, like joyriding with his friend Donnie Taylor in the Taylor Funeral Home hearse.

As a boy, he fished and crabbed in the waters of Annapolis. As a child, he worked as a delivery boy for his uncle Alton S. Bell at his Parson’s Department Store. The family and friends would go on “Holly Hunts” before every Christmas to collect greens and boughs for decorating their homes. The highlights would be Jim’s father climbing trees with his spikes to collect mistletoe and the buffets of “old ham,’ sweets, and liquid libations to warm the hunters.

He was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt land and sea fowl, rabbits, and squirrels. He loved the water, cruising in his uncle’s mahogany Chris-Craft motorboat, summering at Severn Grove on the Severn River, sailing the Chesapeake, and watching the ocean waves in Ocean City. He was a great reader, compiling lists of the hundreds of books he had read. He shared his love of classical music with his children and grandchildren.

He retained his love for the simple outdoor life to the end. Besides owning several hunting dogs over the years, he raised quail and muscovy ducks. He liked gardening with a purpose, growing wine grapes, raspberries, strawberries, apples, peaches, plums, tomatoes, and other vegetables.

He graduated in 1948 from Annapolis High School (now Maryland Hall). He worked for the Post Office; he recalled the special efforts made to deliver newborn chickens to local farmers. He then worked for the U.S. Government, with the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Army and Air Force in Germany, and the Navy in London, England.

/He married Doris Deale on August 14, 1949, and had three children with her: James Revell, Jr., Arthur Deale, and Hope Battista-Bonaccorsy. He spent the last 43 years of his life with his second wife Mari Horak.

He is predeceased by his parents and half-siblings Lewis N. Jones and Joyce Jones Windsor Duckwall, his first wife Doris, and his son Jim. He is survived by his wife Mari and children Arthur (Gina) and Hope (Ricci) and daughter-in-law Carole Eastman Brady. He leaves the world with nine grandchildren: Jim (Dorothy) Brady, Simon (Laney) Park, Katie (Sean) Moran, Patrick (Courtney) Brady, Molly (John) Quesenberry, Alex (Carrie) Brady, Eric (LA Keyes) Brady, Christopher (Nikki) Battista, and Hope (Oliver) Shepard. He leaves a growing legacy of 16 great-grandchildren: Eli Park, Clare Park, Jimmy Brady, Anne Brady, Emma Moran, Haydn Moran, Jane Moran, Brie Brady, Chandler Brady, Ward Brady, Charlie Quesenberry, Johnny Quesenberry, Sloan Quesenberry, Mia Battista, Trey Battista, and the soon-to-be-born Florence Shepard. He is also survived by his cousin Everett Douglas (Doug) Bell and numerous nephews and nieces

Visitation and wake will be at the John M. Taylor Funeral Home on Thursday April 13 from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. John Neumann Mission Church on Bestgate Road on Friday April 14 at 10:30 a.m. A luncheon will immediately follow at the church. In lieu of flowers, suggested memorials are WBJC, Baltimore’s classical music station, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources TREE-mendous Program, or One Tree Planted.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared on this website for the Brady family.