Paula L. Brady

Paula Louise Brady, 75, of Narragansett, took her last earthly breaths surrounded by family on Saturday, August 20th, 2022, after a more than seven-year heroic battle with cancer. She was an optimist and a giver her whole life. Paula was born in Providence and spent her childhood in a home built by her grandfather on Greene Street in West Warwick. She attended Deering High School, scooped ice cream at her father's ice cream shop, Remington’s Dairy, in Hope. Paula earned a bachelor's degree in childhood development from the University of Rhode Island. She married Patrick Brady in 1973, while working as a kindergarten teacher at the Maisie E. Quinn Elementary School in West Warwick. She had two children - Chris Brady of Topsfield, Mass., and Ted Brady of Williston, Vt.. She became a beloved preschool teacher at St. Peter's Preschool in Narragansett, where children enjoyed learning about healthy eating with "Chef Combo" -- a puppet she enjoyed bringing to life. The sound of big wheels zipping around the driveway and the melodies of nursery rhymes remind hundreds of Narragansett children born in the eighties of Paula and her friend and mentor from St. Peter’s, Carol Stuart. In the summers, she taught her family to love the beach as her parents taught her, spending nearly 12 hours a day, rain or shine, at Cabana 27 at Bonnet Shores Beach Club. She was the extrovert of the family, forging friendships with the Bonnet community that persevered to the end of her life and will continue with the next generation. Paula was a woman of faith, and a member of St. Thomas More parish, where she taught religious education and brought the eucharist to the sick and elderly in nursing homes for many years. Her faith helped her prove the doctors wrong multiple times, most notably after she was critically injured in a house explosion. She sustained serious injuries and was told she would never walk again. She did. She was told she wouldn’t golf again. She became a board member of Pt. Judith Country Club. She made quick friends on the golf course, as her smile, laughter and good humor were infectious when she hit a good shot. She loved her five wood, a club she deemed her “fun club." She led the production of charity golf tournaments. She was a member of the famous “chardonnay” foursome who traveled the world together with their husbands to golf and laugh. Her injuries prevented her from returning to the classroom, but she found new coworkers who became close friends as an administrative assistant at South County Podiatry. She was known for her sense of humor, playing great Aprils Fools’ pranks on patients and coworkers and treating patients with the humanity she expected herself as a one-time patient of the practice. Above all, Paula's highest priority was family. Her sisters were her closest friends. She and her husband Pat were inseparable. Their 49-year marriage was the model of commitment, love and adventure. It embodied the vows they took to support each other through sickness and health and in good times and in bad times. The milestones of her four grandchildren and dozens of nieces and nephews were the subject of most of her conversations. She earned the nickname "Gran" from her grandchildren. She loved baking with the kids, dying Easter eggs, watching Santa arrive in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, playing card games, watching Abby Irish Step Dance, listening to Megan play the bagpipes, and hearing Patrick and Evan tell fish stories. When she put on her apron to bake, the grandchildren got excited. Her blueberry muffins, apple pie, lemon meringue pie, baked stuffed shrimp, popovers, pound cake, and Christmas cookies were legendary. Paula is survived by her husband Patrick Brady, her son Chris Brady and his wife Catherine of Topsfield, Mass., her youngest son Ted Brady and his wife Erin of Williston, Vt., her grandchildren Abby, Megan, Patrick and Evan, her siblings Kathy Gilman of North Kingstown, Mary Smith (and husband Raoul) of Acton, Mass., Ted Hand (and wife Katie) of Virginia Beach, Va., and Carolyn Collin of South Kingstown. She is predeceased by her loving mother Katherine Hand and father Edward Hand. Paula’s last act was to give one last time. She was so moved by the doctors, nurses and staff at Mass General Hospital (MGH) that she committed to providing posthumous tumors and tissue to them in hopes of finding new treatments in the future. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the MGH Cancer Care Center. Checks may be made out to MGH (note “in memory of Paula Brady” in the memo line or in an accompanying note) and mailed to the MGH Development Office, Attn: Keith Erikson, 125 Nashua Street, Boston, MA 02114. Visiting hours will be from 5 - 7 p.m. at Avery Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia St., Wakefield on Thursday, August 25th. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Thomas More Church in Narragansett on Friday, August 26th, at 10 a.m. followed by burial in St. Francis Cemetery in Peace Dale.