Donald “Don” James Brady died peacefully in his Greensboro home surrounded by his family on Friday, June 18, 2021.

Don was born in Niagara Falls, New York on February 18, 1933, to Joseph Montgomery Brady and Betty Jane (McGowan) Brady. He graduated from LaSalle High School in 1951 and attended the University of Rochester (U of R) on a football scholarship. He graduated in 1955 with a BS in mechanical engineering. After serving in the U.S. Army, he worked as a mechanical engineer for Ingersoll-Rand in Manhattan. Don married the love of his life, Mary Gay (Halbleib) Brady, on July 5, 1958.

Mr. Brady and his wife, Mary Gay, moved to Greensboro in 1962 to found their franchise, Brady Trane. With the support of his associates, whom Mary Gay and Don loved greatly, the company is celebrating over 59 years in business. Brady remains headquartered in Greensboro, NC, and now employs over 450 associates.

Don held many community leadership roles, served on numerous boards, and started community action-based organizations that are the fabric of Greensboro today. Don was a strong supporter of many charities and non-profits, including JDRF, Habitat for Humanity, Sanctuary House, the ALS Association, the Boy Scouts of America, and ASHRAE. He was incredibly dedicated to the pursuit of education and was a strong supporter of local schools and organizations that promoted its accessibility. He supported education initiatives at universities such as U of R, Ohio Wesleyan, A&T, UNCG, and GTCC.

Don will be missed by his friends, his family, and his company. He was a man who truly lived out Brady’s purpose statement of “caring for each other, caring for our customers, and caring for our communities.” He was an integral part of making Brady the company it is today, and we are proud to continue his legacy.