Dr. Linda H. Brady

We invite you to celebrate the life of Linda H. Brady, RN, PhD, age 82. Linda died on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at Kavanagh House in Des Moines, IA, 18 months after her cancer diagnosis. Services will be held 11 a.m. Friday, February 14, 2025 at McLaren’s Resthaven Chapel, 801 19th St, West Des Moines, IA 50265, with a visitation from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at 11 a.m. at McLaren’s.

Linda was born September 10, 1942 as the first child of William and Jean Henry in Rochester, New York. When Linda was little, her family moved to St. Louis. As a child and young adult, Linda always knew she wanted to be a nurse. She went to Chicago Wesley School of Nursing, during which time she served as president of the student council, a member of the judiciary committee, and was queen of the winter formal her senior year. After receiving her RN degree in 1963, Linda served as a staff nurse in Chicago until 1971 when she moved with her family to Des Moines. After starting as a staff nurse at Mercy, she was promoted to head nurse in the surgical care unit. Linda then expanded her nursing career into nursing education and research, pursuing her bachelors, masters, and PhD while working as a nursing instructor at Iowa Methodist and raising her three children as a single mother. Linda served many prominent roles, including Associate Director of the Iowa Methodist School of Nursing, chair of the nursing program and Associate Dean at Drake, and Nursing Research Consultant. She published, presented, wrote grants, served on boards, advised, and evaluated for many organizations, advancing education, research, ethics, and support for her students, friends, family, and her personal ideals. What mattered the most to Linda, throughout her career, was supporting the front-line nurse, a quality education, ongoing training, and understanding and acumen of research so that patients receive the best care possible, driven by evidence-based research. Linda’s legacy can be found in the nurses with whom she worked side by side, taught, and facilitated their work to provide the best care to their patients.

Linda has always loved to read, knit, spend time with her friends and family, play cards, gambling, fishing, and found a love for traveling on cruises. She has been on ships around the world with friends and family members. Her positive outlook on life, sharp wit, frankness, tenacity, and ability to make the best of a bad situation were the guiding principles of her parenting and her friendships.

Linda is survived by her sister, Kathryn Henry of Iowa City, IA; brother and sister-in-law, William and Mary Henry of Ft. Wayne, IN; daughters, Erin Brisben of Des Moines, IA and Amy Brisben, son-in-law Mitchell Smith, and grandchild Henry Brisben of St. Paul, MN; and son, Adam Brisben, daughter-in-law, Gina Hall, and grandchild, Max Brisben of Northampton, MA.

Special thank you to the ladies of the cards, so many supportive friends of the living family members, the Table Church community, Dr. Buroker, The John Stoddard Center staff, and EveryStep Hospice Care, both at home and at Kavanagh House. Online condolences may be made at www.mclarensresthavenchapel.com.

In lieu of flowers and plants, the family requests donations in Dr. Brady’s honor to the John Stoddard Cancer Center Foundation (https://www.unitypoint.org/giving/john-stoddard-cancer-center), EveryStep Hospice (https://www.everystep.org/about/foundation), or the Table Church: Immigrant Connection program (https://tablechurchdsm.org/ic-home), Rise Up Tutoring (https://tablechurchdsm.org/riseupshop/give-a-gift-to-rise-up), or general fund (https://tablechurchdsm.ccbchurch.com/goto/giving).