Donald Ray Brady

On Saturday, October 15, 2022, Donald Ray Brady, devoted and loving husband, father and grandfather, passed away at the age of 83.

Don was born on June 28, 1939, in Alamosa, Colorado. He was the second of four children of Nyle and Martha Brady. Shortly after his birth, Don’s family moved from Colorado and Don spent the remainder of his childhood in Utah, North Carolina, and New York, with a short period living abroad in the Philippines. He went on to study at Brigham Young University, where he received a BS in Chemistry, and then served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Germany. 

Upon his return from his mission, Don entered a PhD program in Biochemistry at Cornell University and it is there that he met his true love, Linda McConkie. They were married in St. George, Utah on June 10, 1966, and spent their first few years of marriage in Ithaca, New York while Don completed his PhD. After receiving his PhD from Cornell and conducting postdoctoral research at the University of Kansas, Don took a faculty position at the University of Memphis. Memphis was home for Don and Linda for nearly 50 years and is where they raised their nine children.

Don was a dedicated member of his church who provided decades of service in numerous leadership positions, including twice as Bishop of his congregation. Don’s favorite calling, however, may have been as choir director. Music was Don’s real passion. Whether he was singing, playing the piano or guitar, or composing numerous original arrangements of songs, Don was happiest when he was engaged in creating, leading or performing music. Don was a life-long learner who thrived on discovering how things work and how to fix them. Don’s legacy is his humble service for others, his unwavering faith, his unquenchable curiosity and his unconditional love for his family. 

Don was preceded in death by his father, Nyle, his mother, Martha, and his brother, Robert. He is survived by his two sisters, Dorothy and Carol. Don and Linda are the proud parents of RaeLynn (Tom), Todd (Tammy), Lance (Cammi, deceased), Shane (Laura), Troy (Sherrie), Brett (deceased at birth), Thad (Heidi), LaDawn (Ben), DonnaLyn (Matt) and Loni (Grant), and the caring grandparents to 34 grandchildren.  

Services will take place at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 650 East 2150 South, Bountiful, Utah on Friday, October 28, 2022, with a viewing from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and the funeral service at 11:00 a.m.  A graveside service will follow in Manassa, Colorado on Saturday, October 29, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to LDS Humanitarian Services. 

Services on Friday, October 28 will be live streamed at the following link:   https://zoom.us/j/94389038846