Martha Brady Obituary

STATE - USAID - PEACE CORPS - DEFENSE - VETERAN AFFAIRS - FOREIGN SERVICE ASSN.

August 5, 1936 to March 20, 2025

Martha died at her home on March 20, 2025. At her side were her husband of 67 years, Charles, "Chuck" Brady, whom she always called "Brad," and her youngest child, Patrick. Nearby were their other children: Chuck Brady, and Kelly Key Cook. Additionally, she leaves behind her beloved four grandsons: Michael and Ryan Brady and Patrick and Ray Cook.

Born in Milan, Missouri, the second of five children to Julian and Frances Mason, Martha grew up in Kansas City, Kansas. It was at Kansas City Kansas Community College that she met her future husband, Brad, a Korean War Veteran who had just returned from four years of service in the U.S. Navy. She knew when she met him that he was the one. He did not disappoint.

In 1960 the couple graduated from Kansas State College (now Pittsburg State University), had their first son, and left for teaching positions at the Colegio Americano in Guatemala, Central America. Two years later they returned to Pittsburg where her husband joined the university faculty and she accepted an assistantship to finish her master's degree, always hoping to work abroad again.

That opportunity came soon with the Peace Corps when Brad joined the Foreign Service and was assigned as Peace Corps Regional Director to Colombia, South America. After two and a half years in Colombia, they were reassigned to Bolivia, South America where Brad also served as Regional Peace Corps Director. After five years in the Peace Corps, Brad returned to the State Department and was posted overseas with the U.S. Agency for International Development {USAID). Martha worked for USAID as well. As a technical writer, with a master's degree in sociology, relevant Latin American development experience, and Spanish language skills, she wrote and edited project proposals, did feasibility studies, conducted evaluations, managed development projects, and among other things, wrote speeches for the country ambassadors and official visiting dignitaries.

When her husband was assigned to Vietnam for five years, she and the children, three by then, were safe-havened in Taipei, Taiwan, at first, and later transferred to Bangkok, Thailand. While in Taipei, she taught at the Department of Defense Taipei American School.

With the exception of not living in Vietnam, for security reasons, she accompanied her husband to all other posts of assignment: Colombia, Bolivia, the Philippines, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Haiti, and other Caribbean posts. In all countries, Martha found employment with U.S. government agencies

(State, Defense, USAID, Peace Corps, and the Veteran's Administration) the latter of which she served for five years as Special Assistant to the Director of Veteran Affairs in the Philippines----the only place in the world outside of the U.S. where the Veteran's Administration maintains an office and hospital for WWII veterans who fought alongside U.S. military forces there.

Martha found her work abroad challenging but interesting. She enjoyed working with her U.S. colleagues and host country officials alike. She always felt privileged to be a part of the U.S. government's efforts to create stability, further peace, and advance the United States' diplomatic, defense, and development initiatives overseas. She loved being a part of it all----there was never a dull or boring moment.

Although the couple retired from USAID in 1986, they continued to work as international development consultants on special assignments with the State Department in various countries as needs arose. All totaled, they served 47 years abroad. In 1998 they officially retired to Lawrence, Kansas, where they lived happily.

Martha loved books and movies. She was a tennis player, a tea drinker, and loved all things chocolate. In a family of avid and accomplished golfers, she was the only one to have made a "hole-in-one."

She could find humor in almost any situation, an asset when living at hardship posts abroad.

In accordance with Martha's wishes, there will be no public funeral. At a future date, she will be inurned in a family celebration at the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. with an infant son who perished in Bolivia at birth. Eventually, she will be rejoined there with her husband upon his passing.

From her children
Mother
Those we LOVE don't go away,
They walk beside us every day.
Unseen, unheard, but always near,
So loved, so missed, so very dear.
We love and miss you.