Francis J. Brady

Francis J. Brady Ionia Age 98, went to be with his Lord on Thursday, October 8, 2009. He was born in Jordan River, Michigan on June 10, 1911 to John and Sadie (Bartlett) Brady. He was the 2nd oldest of thirteen children. Francis attended Grayling Elementary and Grayling High School where he graduated in 1929. His family was the largest family to graduate from Grayling. While attending school he was the star athlete playing football, basketball and baseball. Francis developed a lifelong love for sports and it followed him through his life. After high school he played baseball and basketball with city teams in Grayling and Lansing and played on teams that traveled where he developed many friendships. Among these teams was the Lumberjack Basketball team from Grayling in 1931-1934 where they were one of the top teams in the North playing teams from Wisconsin, Detroit and Minnesota. The Lumberjacks did much to put Grayling on the map during those years, not only for winter sports, but for the fine sportmanship they displayed during those years. He also played and coached the city league baseball teams in the Lansing league during the heydays of those leagues. He followed all of the Detroit sports teams and often traveled to see them play in Detroit. He was a lifelong fan of these teams and the University of Michigan. After high school, he attended the University of Detroit for a short time and then began a career of over 39 years for General Motors in Lansing, that took him from 1934-1973. He was a Millwright for the skilled trades at the Main Plant of Oldsmobile and for many years at Plant 3 until retirement. He met the love of his life Vera Louise Dixon they were married June 1939 and were lifelong mates for 57 years until her death in 1996. After retirement, he and Louise spent many years at their summer residence at Lake Margrethe in Grayling and wintered in Zephyrhills, Florida but always returned to their home in Ionia. He was preceded in death by his parents John and Sadie Brady; his beloved wife Louise in 1996. father and mother-in-law, Earl and Vera Dixon; brothers John, Joseph, Michael and Richard Brady; sisters Ann Eldred, Monica Weideman, Helen Witham, Jean McClain and Patricia Brady; 2 granddaughters Debra Crater and Lauren Brady; 1 great-grandson Casey Huddleston; son-in-law Harry Ward; brothers-in-law Don Dixon, Chuck Dixon, Lee Witham, Jack Tobin, Bartlind Eldred, Lawrence Rumisek and Art Weideman; sisters-in-law Jenny (Nolan) Dixon, Jerry Brady, Ruth Dixon, Mary Ellen Dixon, Eloise Dixon, and Sherry Dixon as well as several nieces and nephews. He is survived by his children Veronica Ward of Ionia, Patricia Brady of Belding, Michael (Dora) Brady of Ionia, Mary (Chuck) Booth of Ionia, and Timothy (Cheryl) Brady of Haslett; 13 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; 6 great-great-grandchildren; brother Robert (Marilyn) Brady of Canton, MI., Jerome Brady of Livonia, MI.; sister Sally Tobin of Livonia, MI.; brothers-in-law Hubert and Harry Dixon and F.J. McClain; sister-in-law Carole Dixon; many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. Francis was a lifelong member of the Catholic Church and of Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Ionia since 1946. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus in Ionia for 7 decades and was it's oldest living member. He loved his God, his beloved Louise, his family, and was not impressed by worldly goods. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m., Monday, October 12, 2009 with Rev. Melvin Fox presiding. Rite of Committal will follow at Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery.. The family will receive friends 2-4 and 6-8 p.m., Sunday at Schrauben-Lehman Funeral Homes, 220 Rich St., Ionia. A Scripture Service will be at 8 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church.. Online condolences may be made at www.schraubenlehman.com