Rodney Howard Brady, our loving husband, father, brother, grandfather, professional colleague, and friend passed away on January 9, 2017, at his home. He courageously fought autoimmune hemolytic anemia for over thirty years and Alzheimer's disease for the past three years.
Rodney was born on January 31, 1933, in Sandy, Utah, the second of four children, to Kenneth A. and Jessie (Madsen) Brady. They provided him an ideal heritage and environment where he could excel in academic achievement and spiritual development. They instilled in him a strong work ethic. While in high school, Phil Goldbranson inspired Rod to spend a long weekend developing 100 goals he would like to accomplish and the steps required to achieve them. He took this assignment seriously and attributed much of his success to those goals. He excitedly gave countless goal setting speeches to diverse audiences throughout his life.
He graduated from Jordan High School in 1951 as valedictorian and from the University of Utah with High Honors, earning degrees of Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Master of Business Administration in 1957. He then earned a Doctor of Business Administration degree from Harvard University.
In 1960, while serving as a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, he married Carolyn "Mitzi" Hansen, a fifth grade teacher and also a University of Utah graduate. Rod said, "I could have accomplished very little without her.\"
His major professional assignments were:
-Vice President, Management Systems Corp. (management consulting), Cambridge, MA
-Vice President, Hughes Tool Company (aerospace), Los Angeles, CA
-Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Washington, D.C.
-Chairman, President\s Sub-Cabinet Executive Officer\s Group, Washington, D.C.
-Executive Vice President, Bergen Brunswig Corp. (pharmaceuticals), Los Angeles, CA
-President, Weber State College, Ogden, UT
-President, Bonneville International Corp. (nation-wide broadcasting), Salt Lake City, UT
-President, Deseret Management Corp. (international holding co.), Salt Lake City, UT
He also served as director for many commercial and non-profit enterprises. He retired from corporate life in 2009. He documented his life in volumes available at local university libraries. Among his special interests were marathon running, astronomy, bird watching, family history, writing, gardening and public service.
Rod enthusiastically enjoyed scouting his entire life. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout as a boy and loved working on scouting requirements with his sons, each of them attaining the rank of Eagle. He was always interested in his grandsons' progress in scouting. He served for more than 40 years in national and regional Boy Scout leadership roles and received the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, and Silver Buffalo awards.
He received honorary doctoral degrees from the University of Utah, Weber State University, and Snow College. Hall of fame inductions include: Utah Broadcasters, University of Utah College of Science, and University of Utah David Eccles School of Business.
He was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving as a missionary in the British Mission from 1953 to 1955 (where he met personally with Sir Winston Churchill), as Bishop of the Westwood California Ward, and as President of the Los Angeles California Stake.
He is survived by his wife Mitzi, three sons Howard (Victoria), Ryan (Kristy), and Brooks (Nicole), and eight grandchildren, Blythe, Hayden, Spencer, Matthew, Grant, Kenton, Creed, and Miles. He is also survived by siblings "K" (Faye), Joanne (Dean) Frandsen, and Lindsay (Darlene).
His family is grateful for the kind and very professional care he received from Marlene, Lili, Sammie, Leni, Arlinda, Lio, Mele, and hospice nurse Jamie during the last eighteen months of his life.
He will be honored at a funeral service at the Federal Heights Ward Building - 1300 East Fairfax Road; SLC, UT 84103 on Saturday, January 21, 2017, at 11:00 AM. Viewings will be held at Larkin Mortuary - 260 East South Temple; SLC, UT 84111 on Friday, January 20, 2017, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and one hour prior to the funeral service at the Federal Heights Ward Building. Interment will be at the Salt Lake City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, do a good turn in Rod's memory.
