Cyril James Dadd

DADD

CYRIL JAMES DADD

Cyril James Dadd, loving father, public servant and Capitol Hill resident, spent his final moment surrounded by his family on September 30, 2022. He was 45. The cause of death was adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare cancer of the adrenal gland.



A devoted husband, father, and friend, Cyril allotted his moments according to the things he loved: family, music, nature, and public service. He lived with his wife Greta Lundeberg and their beloved children — Beatrix, age 10, and August, age 7 — in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC, where he enjoyed home renovation, gardening, and reading long-form journalism. A proud Washingtonian who avoided driving whenever possible, he could frequently be seen biking to an event he had put together for his friends, who already miss his penchant for planning.



Cyril relished a good martini (straight-up), a good live concert (with friends), and playing board games (with his children). He would gladly get in the car when it got him closer to nature. His favorite destination was Block Island, RI, where he spent summers at the beach or "clamming" in the Great Salt Pond. His trademark phrase was to "play it by ear" and liked to keep his options open until the last moment. Wherever he went, he brought his trademark humor, kindness, and unassuming ability to get things done.



Cyril James Dadd, known in his early years as "CJ," was born in Concord, NH to Cyril Neil Dadd and Sue Wilson Dadd. He grew up alongside his brother, Sam Dadd, in Andover, MA, where he played sports (tennis, golf, football, basketball, baseball) and guitar, and attended Andover High. In 1999, he graduated from Tulane University with a double major in English and African Diaspora Studies, and a passion for public service.



After college he moved to South Africa, where he helped manage and taught at a "digital village" — an early program to provide computer access and training — in the township of Soweto. He later expanded the program to Namibia. In 2003, Cyril earned his Masters in Public Policy from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Policy at the University of Texas in Austin. After graduation, he joined the John Kerry for President campaign in Des Moines, Iowa — a role in which he met Greta, his future wife. They married in 2009.



During the Obama Administration, Cyril served in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he played an instrumental part in the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program — a multi-billion dollar effort that expanded broadband access to millions. After leaving government, Cyril directed Federal Government Affairs at Lumen Technologies (previously CenturyLink).



A celebration of life will be held in Washington, DC at a later date.



Cyril found purpose and solace in every moment he spent with his wife, children, family and countless friends. They will find the same in his loving memory. In lieu of flowers or food, donations can be made to Everytown for Gun Safety [secure.actblue.com] or the Block Island Conservancy (https://biconservancy.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/biconservancy/donation.jsp.)