Ronald Perry Brady

1937 - 2021

Ronald Perry Brady
1937 - 2021
San Diego, CA
On August 5, 2021, Ronald Perry Brady left this world four months before his 84th birthday. The countless things he accomplished in his extraordinary life and the innumerable lives he touched will stand as reminders that he 'was here'.

Ron was born in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1937, along with his twin brother Robert. After the war, their parents E.F. and Eloise, moved to San Diego in 1946, where they started E.F. Brady Company, a contracting firm specializing in lath and plaster.

It would, of course, be some time before Ron would be able to get involved in the Company, so in high school, he purchased a newspaper route to serve his growing neighborhood. He quickly learned the lessons of hard work and commitment when he doubled his customer subscriptions in less than a year. With this, he was able to sell half his route, experiencing his first business success as a true American Capitalist!

These qualities became the foundation of all his life's later dealings, which displayed his innate and often uncanny ability to surround himself with the right people doing the right job, while working together at the highest level. This philosophy propelled the E.F. Brady Company to become the premier specialty contractor in San Diego, as well as a significant force in Los Angeles and much of Northern California.

Ron was admired by many for his unparalleled passion and energy from which the construction industry as a whole benefited, especially the commercial wall and ceiling industry. He was named President of the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (AWCI) in 1989-90. Later, in 2007, he was awarded the Pinnacle Award, the industry's highest honor. This came in large part because of his generosity of sharing his time, expertise, overall commitment to the industry and, no doubt, his infamous stream of jokes shared with his peers, associates, and anyone who would listen!

As his success grew through the years, he began to step away from the business and with the next generation starting their own legacies, Ron and his beloved wife Mary Alice turned their focus to philanthropy, setting up ever-lasting gifts to impact those in need with their loving financial support to Boys and Girls Clubs of East County, Grossmont Hospital Foundation, Rady Children's Hospital Foundation, Vista Hill Foundation, Walden Family Services, and McGrath Family YMCA. They also supported many others not as well known, but life-changing to those who benefited from the Brady generosity.

Ron had an insatiable love for spending time with family and friends, traveling all over the world. His favorite haunts were Cabo San Lucas, Idyllwild, Northstar at Tahoe, and highlighted by his annual fishing trip to Kulik, Alaska. Wherever Ron fished, he had an amazing ability to catch big fish!

In addition to his wife Mary Alice, survivors include his brothers Robert and Richard, his daughter Kimberly, his four sons, Scott, Todd, Gregg and Lance, Barbara, the mother of his five children, two stepdaughters Gamin, Tina and stepson Ernie, along with their respective spouses. Ron was blessed with 26 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren (and counting).

Celebration of Life for Ron will be September 16, 2021, at 10:00 am in the auditorium of Skyline Church, 11330 Campo Road, La Mesa, CA 91941.
Please let us know with a Guestbook entry if you are planning on attending Ron's Celebration of Life.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the following charities, Boys and Girls Clubs of East County, Grossmont Hospital Foundation, Vista Hill Foundation, Walden Family Services and McGrath Family YMCA. (Please see below for each charities information).

Boys and Girls Clubs of East County, Inc www.bgcec.org Memo-In Memory of Ron Brady. Checks payable to Boys and Girls Clubs of East County, Inc. 8820 Tamberly Way Santee, CA 92071 Phone: 619-440-1600

Grossmont Hospital Foundation http://.give.sharp.com/grossmont Memo-In Memory of Ron Brady. Checks payable to Grossmont Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 158, La Mesa, CA 91944-0158 Phone: 619-740-4200.

Rady Children's Hospital San Diego www.radyfoundation.org/donate Memo: Brady Healing Arts Endowment. Checks made payable to: Rady Children's Hospital Foundation 3020 Children's Way, MC5005, San Diego, CA 92123 Phone: 858-966-8116

Vista Hill Foundation www.vistahill.org Memo-In Memory of Ron Brady. Checks payable to Vista Hill Foundation 8910 Clairemont Mesa Blvd., San Diego, CA 92123 Phone: 858-514-5151.

Walden Family Services https://.waldenfamily.org/give Memo-In Memory of Ron Brady to benefit children in foster care. Checks payable to Walden Family Services 8525 Gibbs Dr. #100, San Diego, CA 92123 Phone: 619-584-5777.

McGrath Family YMCA www.ymcasd.org/give Memo-In Memory of Ron Brady. Checks payable to McGrath Family YMCA 3708 Ruffin Road San Diego, CA 92123 Phone: 858-292-4034.