WHEREAS, the Honorable Bernard J. Brady is a native of Wilmington, born there on the 22nd Day of April, 1952, the eldest son and one of the six children of Walter J. and Lucille Dougherty Brady; and
WHEREAS, Bernard received his primary education at the Parochial School of St. Joseph on the Brandywine, Henry Clay Village, and his secondary education at The Salesianum School in Wilmington; and
WHEREAS, Bernard received his undergraduate education at Providence College in Providence Rhode Island, and pursued a Programme of Irish Studies at Trinity College, University of Dublin, during which time he developed a deep affection for his ancestral homeland and its people; and
WHEREAS, Bernard joined the staff of the Delaware State Senate in January, 1979, being duly appointed Assistant Secretary of the Senate in December, 1980, and being elected Secretary of the Senate in January, 1989; and
WHEREAS, throughout his nearly 40 years as a member of the Senate staff, it has been abundantly clear to all who have come into contact with him, that Bernard sees his work as a calling and not as just a job; and the thought has even occurred to some of us for whom he has gone above and beyond the call of duty to provide assistance that, for him, his work approaches that of a ministry; and
WHEREAS, Bernard has looked, as friends, on all those with whom he has worked over the decades, from governors, legislative leaders, and senators to high school students working as Senate interns and prison inmates moving furniture around Legislative Hall, and family members of all of the above, making them feel at home and warmly appreciated; and
WHEREAS, while Bernard has worked for the Senate during times of Democratic majorities, he has been steadfastly non-political in his approach to his official duties and has been a friend to all, being just as willing to perform a favor or to drive the length of the state in service to a minority senator as a majority senator; and
WHEREAS, Bernard has spent many nights and many weekend days at Legislative Hall, he is clearly a man of whom it may truly be said that for him the term “nine-to-five” has no relevance whatsoever; and
WHEREAS, Bernard is an ardent life-long Roman Catholic with a deep love of God and dedication to his faith, which, though rarely mentioned, shines through with an unfailing light as he goes about his daily life; and
WHEREAS, a proud Irish American, Bernard is a gifted raconteur who regales friends with wonderfully vivid and rich stories of the old days of the Brady family and all their many connections in Delaware and beyond, of those he has known in Ireland, and of his many friends from all walks of life; and
WHEREAS, Bernard is a man with a true gift for friendship and the caring and sensitive treatment of others whose years among us have enriched all our lives;
NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 149th General Assembly of the State of Delaware that we do hereby honor and pay tribute to our dear friend and colleague, Bernard J. Brady, by declaring that June 30 shall hereinafter be known as “Bernard J. Brady Day in the Delaware State Senate.”
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we hereby present Bernard with his own official and unique key to Legislative Hall in the hope that he will use it to return often to visit all his old friends at Legislative Hall.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we thank this good and humble man from the bottom of our hearts for all that he has done for us and for the thousands of persons whose lives have been enriched by knowing him during his years among us.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we extend to Bernard our warmest best wishes for a long, happy and fulfilling retirement, filled with an abundance of joyous moments and warm interactions with friends and loved ones.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Honorable Mr. Brady be presented with a suitable copy of this resolution upon its passage.
