John Brady, III

John Edward Brady III

John, Jay, Dad, Grandpa, Santa Grandpa

John E. Brady III was born in South Weymouth, MA on November 15, 1946, as the first son to Marian and John Edward Brady Jr. He had one older sister Kathleen, and two little brothers Michael and David. They grew up in West Springfield.

John graduated from Deerfield Academy in 1965 and went on to Cornell University where he majored in Animal Agriculture, as he aspired to become a veterinarian. He graduated from Cornell in 1969. After Cornell his plans changed and he started working for Monarch Life Insurance in Springfield, MA. During his time there he became a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) while also attending Law School at Western New England University Law School.

In law school John met the love of his life, Diane Webster. Together, they graduated from law school and passed the Massachusetts bar exam. John worked as a city prosecutor in Holyoke, MA and became an assistant District Attorney in Springfield, MA before moving into private practice. John always wanted a big family, and he and his wife had seven children. 3 boys and 4 girls. John and Diane celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 14, 2024.

John suffered a massive stroke just after he turned 40. He was completely paralyzed in his right side and had to learn to walk and talk all over again. John recovered well from this stroke, but he faced countless health challenges throughout his life including multiple subsequent strokes, a heart attack, and kidney disease. Despite all these challenges, John remained a source of strength and stability for his wife and children throughout his life.

John traveled to Nicaragua on the inaugural North Country Mission of Hope trip in 1998. During this trip, in an effort at resource conservation, he refrained from shaving and grew a beard. The following year, while wearing his red winter jacket on an anniversary trip with his wife to Germany, he started to hear whispers from the children mistaking him for the real Santa Clause.

While John never returned to the full-time practice of law after his first stroke, he embraced the role of Santa. He played Santa in the mall and for parties in multiple locations. John was a natural at playing Santa, because his smile lit up a room, and he was always quick with a smile and a laugh.

John enjoyed many things. He had a particular fondness for food, with a few exceptions. Grapefruit, cilantro, and spicy foods were not to his liking. He was also a great lover of a good bargain. He was known for his couponing skills, a talent he possessed long before it became popular. In the 80s and early 90s, he sometimes left the grocery store with a full cart and the store actually giving him money back. He was a thoughtful man who often surprised his wife with gifts, for no reason other than to show his love.

John was a friend to all, effortlessly connecting with people wherever he went. If you asked him how he was doing, even when he was in the hospital, he was "Great!" He had a gift for making strangers feel instantly at ease.

While his smile will be deeply missed, and the world feels a little less bright without it, after enduring many health challenges, John has moved on to the next life. John is survived by his wife Diane, and his seven children, Austin, John, Bevan, Caitlin, Edann, Holen, and Gillian, his sister Kathleen, and his brothers Michael and David, 22 grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services were entrusted to Heidrick-Zaumetzer Funeral Home, PO Box 127, 3 College St., Au Sable Forks, NY 12912.