Joseph Lajus Brady

Joseph Lajus Brady Jr., a Laboratory retiree, died Feb. 17. He was 95.

Born in Keokuk, Iowa, he was the son of Sara Barney and Joseph Lajus Brady. The family then moved to Pasadena, Calif., where Brady attended school.

Soon after Pearl Harbor, Brady joined the Navy to serve on one of the large schooners commandeered by the Navy to patrol the Pacific coast for the first couple of years of World War II. His assignment was to watch for enemy submarines and report the progress of Merchant Marine ships that had no protection. Later, he served in the San Diego Naval District Headquarters and on the destroyer escort USS Richard W. Suesens in Pacific engagements.

Brady graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with degrees in astronomy. He worked for UC Berkeley, UCLA., and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He was a mathematical astronomer who specialized in the study of comet orbits using high-speed computers. Among his achievements was calculating the orbit of Sputnik for the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory so he could predict where and when Sputniks III would fall to earth. He accurately predicted Halley's Comet return in 1986, using observations from over 2000 years. His many publications were on long-period comets, including a volume, The Heliocentric Coordinates of Mars 1800-2000, which was used for the early space probes.

Brady is survived by his wife of 69 years, Turalu Reed Brady; his daughter, Turalu Brady Murdock (David), and son, Joseph Lajus Brady III (Wendie); five grandchildren and two step-grandchildren, Christopher Brady Gould (Annette), Tura Murdock Rocha (Carlos), Joseph Lajus Brady IV (Adrianne), David Reed Brady, Shannon Brady, Emily Murdock and Chauncey Murdock; seven great-grandchildren, Wyatt McCarthy Gould, Amelia May Gould, Lydia Grace Gould, Joseph Lajus Brady V, Brookelynne Ava Brady, Carlos David Rocha and Samuel Orlando Rocha. He also is survived by his sister, Sara Brady Shatford and brother, David Kilbourne Brady (Eva), and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please make a donation to the charity of your choice.