A red rose was placed where Phil Brady normally sat during Wasco County Commission meetings in the wake of his death from a heart attack on Tuesday. The Commission meeting moved forward Wednesday morning, opening with emotional tributes from both of the other Commissioners on the panel. Commission Chair Scott Hege expressed his condolences to Brady’s family, and paid tribute to him, noting his kindness to others and acknowledging his lifelong passion for teaching and learning. Fellow Commissioner Jeff Justesen remembered Brady for working as a teacher at NORCOR’s juvenile division while he was managing that facility. Brady grew up in The Dalles, where his father ran Brady’s Market. He would graduate as ASB President from The Dalles High School, then go on to study physics at Gonzaga and pursued become a Catholic priest with the Jesuits before leaving to become a teacher. He later lived in Venezuela with his wife Mary Jo and his daughters as Catholic missionaries. Brady went on to teach science for eighteen years at The Dalles High School, The Dalles Middle School, and at NORCOR Juvenile. He served on numerous boards in The Dalles area, including as chairman of the Mid-Columbia Medical Center board.