Donald Patrick Brady

Donald Patrick Brady, Sr. passed away peacefully at his home on May 25, 2023. He was third born to Francis and Agnes Brady on January 9, 1937 in Chicago, Illinois. He attended Our Lady of Mercy Grammar School and has fond members of the Sisters of Providence, supporting them throughout the years. He shared how he was a “good boy” and sang in the choir there! He attended high school at DePaul Academy and excelled in mathematics. He attended Loyola University, earning a BS in physics. He went on to attend Northwestern University and completed a master’s degree in physics there.

While attending Loyola he met Carol Gilson. They dated 4-5 years and married in 1960. Donald was hired by AT&T (known then as Bell Labs) and worked in the research institution at Murray Hill, New Jersey for 6 years before being transferred to Allentown, PA. One of his greatest accomplishments was working on the world’s first active communications satellite launched into space. TelStar successfully relayed the first television pictures, telephone calls, and telegraphic images, and it provided the first live transatlantic television feed. Donald and Carol bore three children while in New Jersey: Donald Jr, Michael, and Cathleen. They remained married for 25 years and friends after their divorce.

Donald completed working for AT&T after 10 years. He was hired by Texas Instruments and worked 16 years on superconductors at both the Houston and Dallas locations. He retired and spent the remainder of his life being invested in the lives of others including taking road trips to visit his siblings and nieces/nephews, attending his children and grandchildren’s extracurricular activities, supporting numerous charities, and caring for his mother until her passing.

Some of Donald’s fondest memories were taking family trips. Every summer the family would drive to Florida to visit his parents who lived in Clearwater. Several trips were taken to Disney World and the beaches there. Donald would meet up with his brother Frank and backpack in Sequoia National Park with numerous nieces/nephews who tried to keep up with them!

Donald is preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Agnes Brady, and his sisters, Barbara Walsh and Nancy Pushor. He is survived by his brother, Frank, his children, Donald (Teresa) Brady Jr, Michael (Barbara) Brady, and Cathleen (Jay) Caballero; grandchildren Alyssa Brady, Christti (Justin) Fikes, Heather (Charley) Hundley, and Michael (Tory) Brady Jr; and great grandchildren Blake and Courtney Fikes, Kayley and CW Hundley, and Brooks Brady. Donald is also survived by numerous nieces/nephews who have very fond memories of their time with him. He was so glad to receive visits from several of his nieces over the past few months.

The family is grateful to Terry Farrow, At Your Side Home Care, and Silverado Hospice for their excellent care of him in his final months.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.settegastkopf.com for the Brady family.