Obituary of Mary T Brady
Mary Theresa Dolan Brady, of Martinsville, NJ, passed away on Friday, June 21, 2019, surrounded by her loved ones. She was 83.
Born on August 24, 1935, in Woodside, Queens, Mary was the child of immigrants. Her mother, Sara Dolan née Walsh, a seamstress, and her father, Michael Dolan, a repairman for the New York City subway system, both hailed from Kilmaine, Ballinrobe, County Mayo, Ireland.
She attended St. Clare Academy, a boarding school run by the Sisters of St. Francis in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. After graduation she studied at St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn, and then worked as a secretary at Ziff-Davis Publishing Company in Manhattan. She also modeled with the Barbizon agency on Madison Avenue.
She and her future husband, Thomas Brady, met and danced in Jackson Heights, Queens, in 1954. They were married in 1956 and lived in Jackson Heights until they bought a house in Bethpage, Long Island. In 1963, they settled in Martinsville, NJ, in a house with views of Tullo Farm. Together they raised six children in the house fondly known as 1716.
Mary and her husband instilled an early love for music in their children and grandchildren, especially Broadway showtunes, and there was always a piano in the living room. Like her mother and sister, Mary was also an excellent seamstress. She sewed dresses for family communions, weddings, and proms; she knitted hats, sweaters, and baby buntings; she even created costumes for the many plays her children and grandchildren performed in.
For nearly 20 years Mary worked at AT&T in Morristown where she was a manager for company support services. She retired in 1998.
Known lovingly to her grandchildren as Nana, she and her husband Tom (Pop Pop) built a vibrant home for them. She was known for her baking—especially her apple pies, congo bars, and blueberry muffins. She took her family on walks down to the brook, and enjoyed sitting by the pool during summer gatherings. She loved reading, music, and gardening. She spent many winters with Tom in Sun City Center, Florida, where they loved to pick up fish sandwiches and watch the sunset at Bahia Beach.
Mary was a devout Catholic. She taught catechism at Blessed Sacrament Church in Martinsville, served as president of the Altar Rosary Society, and was an active member of the Council of Catholic Women. For many years she played a regular bridge game. She was heavily involved in volunteer work with the church and was a Den Mother and Girl Scout Leader. She was caring, helpful, generous, and witty.
She is predeceased by her sister, Annette Dolan; her brothers, Bernard, Michael, and the Rev. Father James Dolan; and her son-in-law Jack Moran.
She is survived by her husband, Thomas Brady, of Martinsville; her daughter Mary Moran of Allentown, NJ; son Thomas Brady of Bernardsville; daughter Bettianne Brady of Bernardsville; son John Brady of Bridgewater; daughter Patricia Idell of Martinsville; and daughter Sara Brady of Montclair; her sons- and daughters-in-law Dan, Eva, Peter, Karen, Chris, and Kevin; and 15 loving grandchildren: Jack, Christopher, James, Jessica, Chris, Caileigh, Ethan, Iain, Kyle, Liam, Graham, Heather, Jennifer, Finn, and Maeve.
A visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 25, at 9:00 at Higgins Home for Funerals in Watchung followed by an 11:30 mass at Our Lady of the Mount Chapel in Warren.
Donations may be made to Samaritan Homeless Interim Program (SHIP), 87 East High Street, Somerville, N.J.
