A much-loved resident of Norwich’s NR3 community, Linda Brady lived a “no fear” lifestyle with a cigarette in one hand and a drink in the other.
And with a rare ability to enthral all of those lucky enough to be in her company, her laughter would often be found at the centre of the loudest group in the room.
From guerrilla gardening and scolding litter louts to handing out sweet treats and scouting for distinctive hats, her legacy will not be forgotten quickly.
Brady, as she was known, was born in Lewisham on February 10, 1945.
Her father, George Clifford Brady, was a former Royal Marine who reached the highest rank possible for someone without a degree at the time. She is said to have been “very proud” of him.
During the 1960s, Brady worked as a fashion sketcher in Paris. She then spent the following decade in the Bahamas before moving to Norfolk in 1980, where she began working in advertising for the Eastern Daily Press (EDP) from 1983 to 2006.
Former colleague and close friend, Lizzie Bates, paid tribute to her “magnificent star”.
She said: “Brady was hugely popular and loved Norwich and its people. She was a unique lady who could communicate with anyone and who was loved by everyone. There was no one who did not love her.
“The day she left the EDP, after a group of us were made redundant, everyone in the advertising department stood and applauded her as she waved goodbye.
“She did lots of kind gestures and would give out chocolate bars if the advertising production department was able to make last-minute adjustments to her customers' adverts.
“A very stylish lady, who had a great eye for detail, whether it was antiques, clothes, or her distinctive hats she wore. She could also speak fluent French, Italian, and some German. She was an intelligent woman who did the Telegraph crossword every day and was always in tune with current affairs.
"She will be missed by many in Norwich and beyond.”
Another example of her thoughtful nature was the time after she read a letter in the Telegraph written by the daughter of the English comedian, singer, actor and variety performer, Max Bygraves. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2010 and loved to visit the post box at the end of his driveway to collect the post. After reading this, Brady sent a postcard to him every fortnight until he died in 2012.
After retiring, Brady became a gardener and worked on many of the gardens along Newmarket Road in the south of the city.
In her personal life, she was the proud mother of two Venetian gondoliers – sons Dino (1967) and Luca (1971).
She was a guerrilla gardener, which is the act of gardening on land that the gardeners do not have the legal rights to cultivate, such as abandoned sites, areas that are not being cared for, or private property. One such site included a patch of land close to her home in Colegate. She did not tolerate litter and would not be afraid to call it out if she saw someone doing so.
She was also a keen fisherwoman and antique dealer who appreciated good handwriting and eloquently spoken people, and loved to drink and smoke.
Son Luca added: “If you were in a room full of people and were to listen for the loudest group that was making the most noise, with the best laugh at its centre, you would find my mother there.
“She had this ability to keep people hanging on her every word and she could enthral a room with her words.
“She lived her life with no fear and the way she wanted to right to the very end.”
Linda Brady died on July 28 aged 77.
- To pay tribute to a loved one email norfolktributes@archant.co.uk
- To read more obituaries and tributes join the Facebook group Norfolk's Loved & Lost.
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