James T. Brady

Mr. James T. Brady died peacefully at home in the early morning hours of 19 January, 2010. He was nearly 89 years of age.

Jim was a resident of Santa Barbara since 1947. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, March 4th, 1921, and attended Brooklyn Preparatory School, St. John’s and Villanova Universities, graduating in 1941. He completed a year of Law School at Fordham, but then enlisted in the Navy in 1942. As a Naval Officer in WWII, he participated in Allied operations in North Africa, Italy and Sicily; Jim was also stationed in England and participated in the invasion of Normandy.

He was then posted to China and the Philippines. Prior to shipping from San Francisco, he took a drive along the coast to Santa Barbara. His decision was made: if he survived the war, he would return to California and settle in Santa Barbara, begin his family and become an active member of the community.

Jim established Old Mission Realty in 1947, with his first office located in the Granada Building. In 1959 he sold the business and became Assistant to the President of the Fund for the Republic, which established the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions. He was Assistant to the Center’s President, Robert M. Hutchins, as well as Director of the Parvin Foundation, working with Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas. He traveled in Latin American during these years helping to identify leaders of developing countries who would attend seminars supported by the Center.

In 1963 he left the Center and worked for the next few years to establish an institute focused on international communication and education.

Jim continued working in real estate, primarily mergers and acquisitions, throughout his life. However, he reserved his deep pride for his family, his beloved community of Santa Barbara, and his belief that education and communication could serve to bring about an improved world.

He was a member of many committees and boards in the Santa Barbara community. Some examples were:
Santa Barbara Area Health Planning Committee
San Roque Park District Improvement Association
Catholic Welfare Bureau
St. Francis Hospital Foundation
American Society of International Law
World Peace Through Law Center
United Nations Association of the United States
Channel City Club
Council on Foreign Relations, Santa Barbara Committee
Sierra Club
Planning Commission, City of Santa Barbara
Grand Jury

Jim was pre-deceased by his wife, Dorothy M. Brady, in 1989. He is survived by his four children: Ann Brady Ottieri, James T. Brady III, (Robin) Timothy J. Brady, (Carmel) and Christopher P. Brady, (Laurel), and his nine grandchildren: Mia, Timothy and Luisa Ottieri (Ann), Kira and Crister Brady (James), Benjamin and Anna Brady (Timothy), and Kieran and Colin Brady (Christopher).

A funeral mass will be held at Saint Barbara Parish at the Old Mission, Santa Barbara, on Thursday February 4th at 10:00 am, followed by a celebration of life at The Friar’s Lounge at the Old Mission.

Gifts in Jim’s memory can be made to the Rio Beni Health Foundation, Bolivia. Checks can be made to Direct Relief International (27 S. La Patera, Goleta, 93117) designating Rio Beni in the memo, or online at www.netzerbrady.org/donatenow.html