Althea Harriet Brady, 73, of Assonet passed away on November 13, 2025, at Charlton Memorial Hospital surrounded by family and friends.

She was predeceased by her parents, Osee H Brady and Phillips M Brady, longtime Assonet residents.

Althea attended Apponequet High School and took art classes at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

She was a lifelong learner and continued to explore the arts, books and nature and conservation issues.

Althea worked in the family antiquarian book business, Dana's Old Corner Book Store in Providence, until it closed after a fire. After that time, she operated an on-line and mail order book business with her mother, "Osee H Brady Books". After the death of her mother, she continued the on-line book business and also operated a book shop at the Armory Antique Marketplace on Thames Street in Newport, RI The town of Assonet knew Althea well as their local librarian as she worked in both the Assonet ( Guilford H Hathaway) and East Freetown (James White Memorial) Branch Libraries for almost forty years, retiring as Senior Librarian. She was known for her encyclopedic literary knowledge and for her generous nature in sharing that. Often, she would continue her day after the library closed, dropping a book off for someone who was not able to visit the library in person. The drop off always included a visit and some book conversation.

Nature and the environment were other areas of interest, and she was a hiker and explorer even into her illness. She served the town of Freetown as Chairman of the Open Spaces Committee for many years and supported the Taunton River Watershed Alliance. Her hikes took her on many local trails including Profile Rock, Dighton Rock State Park, Fort Barton and other trails in Westport, Dartmouth and Tiverton.

She was an animal lover with a great fondness for Cocker Spaniels and owned several memorable canines who hiked with her. She was an advocate for wild animals and birds and for preserving habitat for all wild things.

Her survivors include her partner and fellow hiker, Paul Ziobro and his family, her brother Phillips Brady and his wife Louise, her sister Osee Mallio and late husband Richard, her cousin Joann D Hagen; her nieces and nephews and their spouses, Douglass Mallio (Heather), Charlotte Gallant(Steve), Megan MacDonald(Scott) ,Heather Brady(Nate Haskell) and Lisa Thygerson (John) and her son Shaun. In addition, Althea leaves an extended network of stalwart and dearly cherished friends who celebrate memories of shared events and occasions.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 6th, at 11 am, at the United Church of Assonet (9 North Main Street). Following the service, refreshments will be served in the Parish Hall.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Althea's memory to the Tuesday Club of Assonet Scholarship Fund which supports educational opportunities for local high school students.

Althea was a long time and active member of the Tuesday Club and suggested this option. Contributions may be mailed to the Tuesday Club of Assonet at PO Box 251, Assonet, MA 02702 with a note Althea Brady Scholarship.

Services are humbly entrusted into the care of Southcoast Funeral Homes at Ferreira Chapel "Celebrating A Life Well Lived"