Bob was born October 25, 1941 in Oakland, the only child of Edith and Bob Brady Sr. He was a fifth generation Californian and was proud of his logger ancestors in the San Andreas area. His great grandfather McKay was a pioneer and well-known logger, bringing in a steam engine to haul logs that is now located in front of the museum in Angels Camp. McKay Point is named after him.
   Bob grew up in Stockton and attended Franklin High School, graduating in 1960. He made a number of lifelong friends on Rincon Street. They loved riding their bikes, swimming at Oak Park and camping up at Jenny Lind. Bob was involved with Boy Scouts and Hi-Y at the YMCA.
   After high school, he entered the Air Force, serving four years, including six months in England and the other years at Beale AFB in Marysville. He was part of SAC security and was very proud to be in such a highly-trained unit. The base was on high alert during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and Bob would later tell stories of just how close the United States came to destruction.
   When he returned home, he worked for his father’s upholstery business in Stockton and then moved to the Bay Area where he worked for Pacific Airlines. With the airlines, he won a weekend trip to Paris, which he absolutely loved. He claimed he never slept and saw everything he possibly could.
   Bob decided he wanted to get a job promoting the airline, so he returned to Stockton and enrolled at San Joaquin Delta College as a business major. There a counselor suggested he take a drama class since his job would require him making presentations. Bob thought that was an odd suggestion, but he took the class and fell in love with theater. He was in a few shows but worked mostly tech and backstage. He met his future wife, Eileen Hawkins, when she did his makeup for “Peer Gynt.”
   Bob was so good at all the backstage and lighting aspects of theater that he was invited to participate in University of the Pacific’s summer rep program at Fallon House in the gold country town of Columbia. Bob spent three summers there and loved it. He even had an award named after him—“The Bob Brady Laughing Award,” so named because of Bob’s very distinctive and funny laugh.
   Bob continued his education at Sacramento State, where he received a theater scholarship for University of the Pacific. He earned his B.A. cum laude there in 1972.
   Bob and Eileen were married at the UOP Chapel on November 26, 1971 in a romantic “Romeo and Juliet” themed wedding, complete with period costumes borrowed from Delta and Sac State. The “love” scripture 1 Corinthians 13:4 was read at the wedding, which is why it was chosen as the closing prayer at Bob’s memorial service. The newlyweds had only a weekend honeymoon before Bob had to return to UOP and Eileen to her studies in social work at Sac State.
   The couple moved to South Lake Tahoe in June 1972, where Bob went to work at Harrah’s as a slot machine attendant and repairman, having been told that would give him the best chance to be hired backstage for the big shows. That Christmas he got his wish, and he worked with all the big stars of the era in both Tahoe and Reno, including Sonny & Cher, Sammy Davis Jr., Wayne Newton and Don Rickles.
   Bob and Eileen moved to Concord in 1974, and Bob fell in love with the town. Over the next 35 years, Bob had two other careers—traveling on the road as a furniture representative and then as an insurance agent. Bob got into the furniture business when his apartment manager, who was a furniture sales rep, suggested it. Having worked in his father’s upholstery shop, Bob knew a lot about furniture. He even became president of the furniture mart club in San Francisco. As much as he loved theater, he always said his furniture job was his favorite.
   The Brady’s daughter, Michele was born in 1979. Over the years, the family traveled to Oregon, Washington and Hawaii, and they had many wonderful family vacations at Tahoe.
   After Bob’s mother died in 1971, Bob Sr. remarried, which added three step-siblings to the family—which Bob appreciated, having been an only child. He and his step-sister, Janet Briscoe, became lifelong friends.   
   Bob had a gift for gab and could strike up a conversation with anyone. He loved telling stories and a good joke, even looking up jokes online so he could tell them to friends. He loved any big dog. Shep was his childhood dog, and as a family man he had Copper and then Bandit, his most beloved dog.
   He also loved Shakespeare, jazz and classical music along with John Wayne and other cowboy movies. He enjoyed great fishing trips with his buddies. He and Eileen took many memorable trips to the Bahamas, Cancun, Puerto Villarta, Hawaii, Alaska, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, New York and New Orleans.
   Bob was very proud of his military service and gave monthly to the Paralyzed Veterans. He and Eileen were married for 45 years, and Bob made every day an adventure.
   The Graveside Service will be held on Wednesday, August 16, 2017 at 2:00 PM at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon, California.
A Gathering of Remembrance will be held immediately following the burial at Bud's Pub & Grill, 100 S. First St. Dixon, CA.
   In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Paralyzed Veterans or the American Heart Association.

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 Service Information