Joseph S. Broderick

Joseph Shapley Broderick, age 82, passed away peacefully on January 10, 2020 at home in Olney, MD, surrounded by family. Joe is survived by his children, Daniel Broderick of Rehoboth, DE; Judith Broderick Wade and her husband Sean Wade of Olney, MD; Debora Broderick and her husband Steve Hessler of Exton, PA; and John Broderick and his wife Kerry Broderick of Mission Viejo, CA. He is also survived by his 8 grandchildren: Allison Wade, 19; Isabel Hessler, 19; Jacob Broderick, 18; Hope Hessler, 17; Gavin Broderick, 16; Katherine and Mary Wade,15; and Nathan Broderick, 12. He is predeceased by his devoted wife of 53 years, Elizabeth “Betty” Broderick; parents Mary and Percy Broderick; brothers John, Richard, George and Robert Broderick; and sister Mary Langlois. Joe and his family lived in Landover, MD, in the neighborhood of Kettering and later moved to Greenbelt, MD. Joe and Betty moved in their later years to Olney, MD.

Joe was born on December 29, 1937 in New York City. He graduated from Regis High School in New York City, and Fordham College, in the Bronx, where he majored in math. He worked for the National Security Agency (NSA) for 30+ years, where he headed a Cryptology division. None of us are exactly sure what this top-secret code-breaking work entailed, and when he retired and brought home his numerous awards, we found no enlightenment: all his awards were in code! Joe also earned his Masters in Education from George Washington University, and after his retirement from NSA, he enjoyed a second career as a tenured professor of math at Prince George’s Community College.

Joe was an avid runner and completed 40 marathons in the course of his life, including the Carlsbad Marathon in Southern CA, at age 70. He was heavily involved with the DC Road Runners Club for many years, serving at different points as President and Treasurer of the club. Joe, at his core, was a devoted husband and family man. He spent his free time volunteering at the kids’ swim meets with Betty; taking the family with him to all his various races; and creating and coaching a youth running club in the neighborhood, called the Kettering Coyotes. Late summer nights when the sun was just setting, you could find Joe on the street with his stopwatch, timing neighborhood kids running the Bannington Mile. Joe was also a huge Washington Capitals fans, and held season tickets for years. This was another family event, with Joe rotating family members to join him at games. In his later years, Joe devoted himself to Betty, and the two of them traveled as often as possible to visit their beloved grandchildren, who they both enjoyed greatly.

Joe Broderick, a devoted husband, father, uncle, grandfather, mathematician, runner, lover of poetry (especially T.S. Eliot!), and originator of the phrase, “This sounds like a ‘loaf-of-bread’ story,” will be greatly missed by all. We hope you are somewhere in heaven, with angel wings, running your personal best.

Funeral services will be held at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Olney, MD on January 15 at 10AM. A private interment at Gate of Heaven in Silver Spring, MD will follow funeral services. In lieu of flowers, we ask family and friends to consider making a donation in Joe’s honor to the Parkinson’s Foundation of the National Capital Area (www.pfnca.org).