Dorothy Fields Brady

May 6, 1931 -

Jan 7, 2024

Dorothy Fields Brady was a beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, a lifelong traveler who loved new experiences and above all a woman of grace, beauty and warmth with never an unkind word to say. She passed away peacefully on Jan. 7, 2024, surrounded by family.

Dorothy was born Dorothy Jo Fields to J.B. Fields and Dorothy Clutch Fields in Booneville, Ark., on May 6, 1931. She spent much of her childhood moving from base to base with her parents, crisscrossing the world as major historical events unfolded. In Panama, she saw President Franklin Roosevelt waving from a ship sailing through the Panama Canal and had a pet monkey. In postwar Germany, she and her family lived in Munich in a house that had more rooms than they had furniture to fill it - 15 rooms, to be precise. In Pennsylvania, she competed in a Miss America-sponsored pageant in 1948 and became Miss Cherry Pie, at 17, when she won the state cherry pie baking competition in 1949.

Dorothy met Kenneth Lowell Brady when they were both engaged to other people. According to Dorothy's writings, upon seeing her for the first time, "Kenneth jumped up off the sofa, knocking over a lamp, lost his balance and fell on the coffee table, breaking it." They broke off their engagements and wed six weeks later in Springdale, Ark., on Feb. 16, 1951, remaining happily married until Kenneth passed away in 1992.

For their honeymoon, Dorothy and Kenneth bought a pickup truck and drove from Arkansas to Seattle, Wash., where they sold the truck and bought passage to Anchorage in the then-territory of Alaska. Upon arrival, Dorothy promptly lost their remaining money by leaving it in a cab. It was turned in to the post office by a kindhearted stranger, and they began their new life in Alaska.

Dorothy and Kenneth had seven children between 1952 and 1963: Michael, Patrick, Kathleen, Timothy, Casey, Kelly and Kevin. They also co-founded the Ken Brady Construction Company in 1954, which Dorothy kept the books for until 1973.

Following Kenneth's lead, the Bradys dove into the Alaska way of life as avid recreational hunters, fishers and sports enthusiasts. Dorothy briefly learned how to fly Kenneth's Super Cub plane. During winters, she chauffeured her children between Anchorage and Alyeska in an old limousine because that was the only vehicle that could accommodate seven children, their ski gear and their dogs.

Dorothy continued the globetrotting of her childhood as an adult, going on hunting trips in Africa, touring castles in Scotland and road-tripping from Anchorage to upstate New York with a few chickens and 22 German shepherds. She also had roles in several musicals in the 1970s, most notably "The Sound of Music." She enjoyed music and was an excellent pianist and singer. She loved to read and to complete puzzles and crosswords. She wrote poetry, often discovering her muse in her dogs and grandchildren.

Dorothy found much humor and whimsy in the world around her. When reminiscing about Christmas in 1941, immediately after Pearl Harbor, she spoke of how her parents' fear of war led them to buy an inordinate amount of gifts for her and her sister, Martha Jean – recalling her 10-year-old wonder at walking into a room full of presents, seemingly from floor to ceiling. Dorothy appreciated life's small pleasures: the sound of birdsong, the sight of sunlight on fresh snow, the warmth of a dog sleeping beside her, the thoughtfulness of a good book.

Grace, kindness and patience defined how Dorothy approached her role as a grandmother. She was an incredibly gracious woman who embraced all of the children in her family's orbit with an open heart. She loved to tell them stories about her long and well-lived life, and loved just as much to hear stories about their own barely-begun lives.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth; daughter, Kathleen; sons, Michael and Timothy; and beloved American bulldog, Daisy Duke. She is survived by Patrick (Tina), Casey (Deborah), Kelly (Dave) and Kevin (Tanya); 19 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Dorothy was a woman of great heart, a woman whose memories could fill museums, and a woman who will be remembered fondly by all those whose lives she touched. We are all grateful and better off for having known her.