Brenda Brady (6 Mar 1927 - 10 Jan 2023)

In loving memory of Brenda Brady who sadly passed away on 10th January 2023

Relatives and friends are all invited to her committal service at the Chelmsford Crematorium, North Chapel at 2pm
Writtle Road, Chelmsford. CM1 3WQ (///brains.spark.fades)

BRENDA JEAN BRADY

Brenda was born on 6th March 1927 to Millicent (known as May) and Percival Wallace, she was a younger sister to Joyce.

Lived in Barking Road Plaistow and shared a house with Aunt Clarissa. Clarissa lived upstairs whereas the Wallace’s lived downstairs. When a young child Brenda would go upstairs to her Aunt’s room and her Aunt would read the adventures of Rupert out of the daily paper.

At the outbreak of the war, Brenda was evacuated to Harold Wood and her school, West Ham High School was evacuated to Brentwood. May and Percival decided to move to Harold Wood and bought a house there and Brenda became “unevacuated” and returned to live with her family and attended Brentwood County High School for Girls. They kept the house in Plaistow and rented it out.

Later on, after Percival’s death, May and Clirissa moved to Southend.

Brenda initially met James Brady at a Youth Club in Gidea Park, but with the war still in progress they went their separate ways. James was in the Navy, and Brenda went to work for the Royal London Insurance Company in London, travelling by train with Joan Ladbrook who was a year older than Brenda and had also attended Brentwood County High School.

Brenda attended the youth club in Harold Wood which was run by Joan’s parents Mr and Mrs Ladbrook where they met Norman Hayton and James Brady.

Brenda married Norman and Joan married James.

Norman’s mother, Hilda, bought a house in Woodford Green as a wedding present and Brenda’s sister Joyce and her husband Des shared it with them for three years.

Hilda also bought a partnership in “Fisher and Stringers” where Norman worked until 1951.
Brenda and Norman had a daughter Jean and Joan and James had a son Michael. Both marriages broke down.
Even after Norman left Brenda Hilda continued to be very supportive in both emotional and financial ways.
Jean remembers visits from Nanna Hayton fondly “as she always brought chocolate”.

Brenda and James began meeting as friends for support and companionship and eventually they fell in love and married. They adopted Jean and went on to have two children – Keith and Denise.

They lived in various towns, Harold Wood, Crawley and in Clacton they owned a shop “open all hours”.
Running the shop is probably where Brenda developed her love of a bargain.

In 1958 the family now consisting of Jean, Keith & Denise moved back to Hornchurch where they lived for many years. Brenda became a dinner lady at Langtons school and would laugh when the children called her Mrs Gravy instead of Mrs Brady. She later went on to work part time at the health department office in Romford Mercury House until she retired in 1987.

Whilst the children were at school Brenda and Jameas were on the PTA at Dury Falls. They were involved with Gidea Park Cricket Club where James and Keith played and Brenda and the girls helped with the teas.
In the early 1980’s Brenda and James moved to Hutton Village until 1994 when they moved to Twin Oaks in Chelmsford. During their retirement they both enjoyed playing bowls, watching Essex play cricket amongst other things - such as coach trips to National Trust properties.

After over 50 years of marriage in 2003 James died, Brenda soldiered on, coped well and even bought a mobility scooter to get about.

She frequently went on the bus to Chelmsford and Witham shopping. But over time with her mobility getting worse and unable to travel on the bus, Brenda spent most of her time at home.

She enjoyed reading, watching Sky sports on the television, cricket, athletics and of course tennis were her favourite. Brenda also liked to watch quiz shows such as pointless & countdown and completing crossword and Sudoku puzzles in the newspapers. She loved her garden which Keith & David helped to maintain.

She also loved receiving letters from her sister’s children, Gillian & Martin, about their travels, holidays and their families lives, reading them many times and keeping them safely stored away.

In later years Brenda was diagnosed with lung cancer and elected not to have treatment. She eventually became bed-bound and her hearing and sight both deteriorated.

Even in the last few weeks Brenda was still enjoying her television and especially hearing from her family.