William A. Brady

Born in The Bronx, New York on April 23, 1927, he was the son of William and Helen (Murphy) Brady. After attending public schools in The Bronx, Bill joined the U.S. Navy in 1945, and attended electronic training schools in Monterey and Treasure Island in California. After returning from the service, Bill earned his bachelor of arts degree in English from Manhattan College in New York City and his master of arts degree, also in English, from Niagara University in Niagara Falls, NY. It was while he was attending Niagara that Bill met his first wife, Alice Brennen. They were married in Niagara Falls in 1951.

Bill began a fifteen-year teaching career in the Niagara Falls Public Schools in 1950. Except for one year when he was recalled to the service during the Korean War in 1952, Bill continued to teach until 1965. During that same period, he also taught literature courses for WNED-TV, the public television station in Buffalo, NY, winning a prestigious national educational television award in 1963 for his series on American Literature.

In 1965, Bill, Alice and their five children moved to Dover, New Hampshire, and for the next twenty years Bill worked on the UNH campus in Durham, where he was employed as the Director of Instructional Television and Special Services for New Hampshire Public Television. At that time, the Network broadcast school television programming to more 100,000 students in New Hampshire and Southern Maine. In addition to his school television responsibilities, Bill wrote and produced nearly 200 television programs, including series on child care, family relationships, land use, school innovation, and three teacher training series in art, science and reading for elementary teachers. For several years, he appeared on camera as the host of a weekly phone-in series, and he was the original producer/writer of the popular “Granite State Challenge” series. Four series developed by Bill went into national distribution, and three earned national awards, including the elementary science instructional series, “Up Close and Natural.” Bill was also a charter member of the national committee that developed the first instructional television schedule to be transmitted by PBS satellite to the nation’s schools.

During the family’s time in Dover, Alice taught English at Dover High School and for two years, she also directed a highly successful Experienced Based Career Education (EBCE) program. The Brady family were parishioners of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Dover.

In 1984, Bill and Alice moved to San Jose, where he joined KTEH-TV (Channel 54) as Manager of School Services. While working there, he served as co-director of a state-sponsored program designed to promote the use of technology in California’s schools. He was also a co-founder of the Literacy Alliance for the South Bay. After retirement in 1992, Bill did volunteer work for Sacred Heart Community Services in San Jose for almost ten years. Reading, writing, travel, and gardening kept him busy, along with an active interest in family history.

Bill’s wife Alice died of cancer in July of 2002. In 2004, he married Kathleen Kerrigan of New Milford, CT. She survives him, along with his five children from his first marriage: William of Sunnyvale, CA; Thomas of Dover, NH; John of Biddeford, ME; U.S. Army, retired, Lieutenant General Mary Legere, of New Castle, NH; and Michael of San Jose; as well as four granddaughters, Courtney of

Ashland, OR; Megan of Sunnyvale, CA; and Katherine of Biddeford, ME and Mariah of New York, NY. He is also survived by 3 stepchildren: Edward Kerrigan of Old Lyme, CT; Sharon Kerrigan of Lake Tahoe, CA; and Jennifer Kerrigan of San Jose, CA as well as 3 step-grandchildren, Tim and Aidan Kerrigan of Old Lyme, CT and Kathryn Gomez of Lake Tahoe, CA.

Bill was a devoted husband, a kind and loving father and grandfather. His children remember him as a man of faith living by the values of honesty and integrity.

Visitation will be Sunday, 13 February, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the LIMA FAMILY CHAPEL, 466 N. Winchester Blvd., Santa Clara. A funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Victor’s Roman Catholic Church, 3108 Sierra Road, San Jose, on Monday, 14 February at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at 12:45 p.m. at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 22555 Cristo Rey Dr., Los Altos. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent in Bill’s name to Sacred Heart Community Services, 1381 South First Street, San Jose 95110, or to a charity of your choice.