Liselotte Brady

Liselotte Helene Brady, a beloved mother, grandmother, and sister passed away peacefully at age 84 on June 15, 2026 in Ithaca, New York, surrounded by her loving family. Known to most simply as Lilo, she was happiest at home with her loved ones and socializing with friends. She possessed a deep curiosity about people and a remarkable talent for extracting an entire life history within minutes of meeting someone new.

Lilo was born on November 24, 1941 in Bad Cannstatt (Stuttgart), Germany, the youngest of three daughters to the late Philipp and Anna Sattler. Her early years during and after World War II were deeply shaped by food scarcity and the rebuilding of a bombarded city. She often shared vivid stories of those lean times, from her parents secretly raising rabbits in their apartment that would suddenly "disappear," to catching pigeons on bombed rooftops. She also fondly recalled the kindness of American soldiers who handed out chocolates and stockings to the locals. 

Though her father had strictly forbidden her from dating Americans, destiny intervened when she met and married Edward Brady, an American military officer stationed in Stuttgart. As a young bride relocating to the United States, she loved to joke about her early cooking mishaps—most notably her infamous first attempt at preparing a traditional American Thanksgiving turkey. She quickly taught herself to cook, moving on to create countless delicious meals for her family and friends. Lilo loved all things culinary and was famous for asking anyone she met “do you know of a good place to eat around here”.

Lilo took immense pride in caring for and beautifully decorating her homes, building vibrant lives in Upstate New York, San Antonio, and Olympia. She deeply missed her home in Olympia, where she spent 30 happy years, but truly cherished living closer to her daughters on the East Coast for the final two and a half years of her life. 

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 60 years, Edward, and her older sister, Marina Schafer. Her legacy lives on through her three daughters, Susanne “Susi” Brady (son-inlaw Seth Adams), Erika Brady, and Brigitte Brady; her grandsons Wyeth Blumberg (Olivia Peterson) and Gabriel Blumberg (Maddie Prosser); her sister, Ursula Dapas (brother-in-law Pete Dapas and nephew Peter Dapas); and her brother-in-law Helmut “Wulle” Schafer (nieces Beate, Eva, and Annette).

Lilo navigated the ups and downs of life with a lively personality, blending equal parts charm, German directness, unfiltered honesty, and a wonderfully dry wit. Her vibrant presence and unforgettable spirit will be deeply missed by everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. Lilo was laid to rest on June 22, next to her husband at the Bath National Cemetery. A celebration of life will take place at a later date.