James Donald "Don" Brady

In Remembrance James Donald “Don” Brady, 99, passed away peacefully on June 22nd in Sarasota, Florida. Born in Pittston, PA, Don served as Radarman 2nd Class in the navy during WWII. During his tour in the North Atlantic his crew forced a German submarine to the surface where it surrendered. After the war Don graduated from Kings College, Wilkes-Barre, PA where he was awarded honors in literature. A career life insurance executive, Don was head of underwriting for Guardian Life Insurance Company. Don married Lorraine Anne Yanchus in 1958. Don and Lorraine met in Manhattan and soon learned they had grown up very near to each other in Pennsylvania. They settled in New Jersey where they raised their two sons Daniel and David. They were supremely devoted parents: They decided on having two children so each would have a playmate; they choose their home on a dead-end street out of traffic safety concerns; they encouraged their boys’ later interests in music and cycling, even allowing them to ride their bicycles to Canada one summer. Their support continued through to higher education. Don was civic-minded. He participated as a dummy buyer under the Fair Housing Act and maintained membership in the American Civil Liberties Union and Common Cause. In 1982 he was arrested for participating in a nuclear disarmament rally near the Soviet Mission in New York City. He loved music and poetry and could recite seemingly innumerable lyrics and stanzas at will. He particularly loved jazz and was a charter member of the New Jersey Jazz Society. In 1989 Don lost Lorraine to cancer. A new chapter in his life began in 1994 when he married June Kikkert Dooley. Don and June shared a loving and caring life in retirement. Dividing their time between residences in New York and Sarasota, they enjoyed travel, golf, and the company of friends and family. Their devotion to each other was evident to all who knew them. Don is survived by his wife June, his son Dan and his life partner Françoise Rousseau, his son Dave and wife Susan Brady, his brother Tom and wife Nancy, his stepdaughter Kathy Kikkert and Kathy’s daughter Molly Brown. He is predeceased by his sister Elizabeth and brothers Richard and Joseph. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the American Civil Liberties Union or a veteran’s organization of your choice.

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James Donald "Don" Brady

June 22, 2026