Joan Teresa Brady

Joan “Joanie” Teresa Brady

Joanie Brady, beloved sister, aunt, cousin, and friend, passed away peacefully on September 26, 2024, at the age of 69.

Born January 15, 1955, Joanie was a sweet, kind, and gentle soul. She grew up in Tacoma, WA, the second oldest in a loving and outdoorsy family of seven children. Her mother, Ramona Brady, was a homemaker, and her dad, James Brady, was a Tacoma fire captain. She attended Holy Cross Grade School and St. Leo High School and was chosen by her fellow students for the “Most Outstanding Classmate” award during her senior year. She went on to earn a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Washington.

Joanie loved writing, dancing, children, sewing, and spending time outdoors. It was out in Mother Nature where Joanie had some of her most impressive accomplishments, summitting Mount Rainier three times and canoeing the Columbia River with her dad and brother.

In her early twenties, Joanie was diagnosed with schizophrenia, a devastating disease that changed the trajectory of her life.

We will always remember Joanie for how deeply she thought and wrote about life, and her love of Dr. Pepper!

She was a special and loving sister who will be greatly missed. We find comfort in knowing that she is finally at peace.

Joanie was preceded in death by her parents Ramona and James Brady. She is survived by her siblings Joe Brady, Diane Brady, Jim Brady, Peggy Brady, John Brady, and Jeff Brady.

A graveside service will be held at Calvary Cemetery in Tacoma on Friday, October 4th at 3pm. A celebration of her life will be held in November.

Please consider a donation to National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Joanie’s memory.

If you have a family member or friend struggling with mental illness, we encourage you to seek support and mental health services.

“All there really is, is love, however it manifests itself. It is the music of the composers, the poetry of poets, and the laughter of children. Love is love’s reward. It is eternal, it is pure. It is the well of life.”
Joan Brady (1975)