Captain John R. Brady Obituary

Captain John R. Brady took his final flight West on April 21, 2018, to join the love of his life, Sally, who pre-deceased him.  Born September 14, 1920, in Glen Ridge, NJ, he lived most of his life in North Caldwell, and spent several years in Tucson, Arizona before moving to Wilmington, NC.  John led a life that as fulfilled not only by his family, but also by his great love of aviation.  Spurred on by his admiration for Charles Lindbergh and his solo-Atlantic crossing, John dreamed of becoming a pilot.  When Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941, John did what many of his generation did and volunteered for service, becoming a pilot in what was then called the Army Air Corps, now the U.S. Air Force.  He flew the B17, the B24, and the B29 in support of the country he loved.  He later became a flight instructor training pilots on all three of those planes.

Following the war, he joined Eastern Airlines where he flew the DC 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8. He also flew the Constellation, the B727, and retired on the L1011, flying from SFO to JFK with his entire family on board.

Captain Brady is survived by his daughter, Sharon Brady, his son, J. Kevin and wife, Margaret Brady, his grandchildren, J. Christopher Brady, Elizabeth and Joseph Bawol and Meghan Brady, and his great-grandson, Ashton Bawol. As mentioned, he was pre-deceased by his wife of 66 years, Sally, and by his son, Robert.  He also leaves behind his extended family, the caregivers at Coastal Cove of Wilmington, whose loving care allowed him the comfort and dignity to remain as independent as possible before needing their extraordinary palliative care.

Services for Captain John Brady will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, any donations may be made to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Canines for Veterans, 221 Old Dairy Road, Wilmington, NC, 28405.