In Remembrance: Scott Brady
April 21, 1961 - August 11, 2025
by Sarah Sportman
I always hoped I would be talking about these things when Scott retired from his second career as an archaeologist,
and it breaks my heart to be doing it here today.
I met Scott in 2015 or '16 when he was working with our late friend and colleague Brian Jones, who was then the
State Archaeologist. It was immediately clear that he was an incredibly nice guy and a huge part of the Office of
State Archaeology's fieldwork and public outreach programs. We first worked together professionally on the
Paleoindian site in Avon in 2019. It stands as the oldest site ever found in Connecticut and was one of the highlights
of Scott's archaeological career. He fit right in with the crew and accepted our teasing with grace, especially on the
day when the retired fire chief melted part of the tent with the propane heater.
Since 2012, Scott served in a volunteer role as the assistant to the State Archaeologist. He worked with three
archaeologists, Nick Bellantoni, Brian Jones, and then, starting in 2020, with me. In the 5 and half years I worked
with Scott, I was constantly amazed by how much he gave to the work and to his friends and colleagues. He often
spent 20-40 hours a week volunteering with OSA, doing everything from coordinating FOSA volunteers, helping to
set up and run field projects; participating in public artifact identification days, archaeology fairs, and conferences;
managing and transporting field equipment; organizing and moving hundreds of boxes in our ever-shifting collections
spaces and serving on the Boards of the Friends of the Office of State Archaeology and the Archaeological Society
of Connecticut.
There were so many times when I hesitated to ask him help with something - another school program, equipment we
needed, or help with a field set up before a dig, afraid it was just one thing too many, too much of his personal time,
but Scott's response was always - "What needs to be done?" and "How can I help?" On top of his dedication, Scott
had such an amazing ability to connect with people. He could start a conversation with anyone about archaeology,
and his love of, and enthusiasm for the subject was contagious. He also loved to teach people about archaeology and
he loved to share what he had learned about Connecticut's history and the Native people who lived here for millennia.
For more than five years, we co-hosted a monthly radio show on the Archaeology of Connecticut and Scott was great
for asking the questions that non-archaeologists wondered about. He was able to bridge the gap between professional
and interested public in ways that a lot of us in the field struggle with.
OSA did a lot of public programs over the years, including archeological excavations. Public archaeology can be a
lot like herding cats, with people of all ages, ability levels, and attention spans, all excited for the chance to dig, and
not all great at listening to instructions. Scott was fantastic in those situations. His career as a firefighter and chief
provided him with a special set of skills to bring to the table. In 2017 he even presented a paper called "Five Alarm
Archaeology: Fire Service Lessons for Avocational Archaeologists" at an archaeology conference. His operational
and logistical skills kept our equipment organized and field programs running smoothly. His gentle, but effective
leadership helped to maintain order even in large groups of people and they loved him.
It wasn't only people who loved Scott. We encountered a lot of dogs on our field projects and every dog we met was
completely enamored with him. I know that part of his appeal was his ever-present pouch of dog treats, but it was
more than that - dogs just know good people when they meet them.
On a personal level, I was fortunate to work closely with Scott for five and a half years and to call to him my friend.
When I first got the position of State Archaeologist in 2020, it came on the heels of our friend and colleague Brian
Jones's untimely passing. I succeeded Brian in the job and I knew that he and Scott had been very close. It must have
been hard for him to come in every day and see someone else in the lab, at Brian's desk, but he was infinitely helpful
and supportive, and I often drew on his knowledge of past OSA projects. In the midst of the pandemic restrictions
in 2020 and 2021, we did a lot of fieldwork, as it was a safe way to escape the confines of Covid restrictions and still
get work done outside. If you've ever worked in the field, you know how quickly you get to know your co-workers,
and we found a lot of common ground. We talked about kids and dogs, our genealogy projects, politics, and Bob
Dylan; complained about infuriating archaeology TV shows like Oak Island and Ancient Apocalypse, and of course,
we talked about the archaeology, discussing sites, finds, theories, and plans for future work. I cannot express how
fortunate I was to have Scott Brady's friendship. And as a friend, he gave just as much as he gave to his work. For
instance, back in 2023, when my mom passed away, Scott drove two and half hours to come to her wake in upstate
NY. I was surprised to see him, but so touched and grateful that he made that trip to support my family in our time
of grief. But that was just who he was.
Now, as we're here to celebrate Scott's life, it is bittersweet. While it's hard to believe that there will never be another
Monday morning when Scott rolls into the lab at 9:30, plops down in a chair and asks, "How was the weekend?" or
that there will never be another hot, miserable day spent backfilling excavations discussing the current state of the
world, I'll remember those times with fondness and I'll work, along with all of his other friends and colleagues, to
keep Scott's archaeological legacy alive by continuing to do the work he loved.
I know that it will never be the same without him, but I like to think that somewhere out there, Scott and Brian are
off on a road trip together to visit a new site and see an amazing collection of artifacts, and that they'll stop someplace
really good for lunch.
IN REMEMBRANCE: SCOTT BRADY
by Glenda Rose,
President, Friends of the Office of State Archaeology
I first met Scott at Field School after, like him, I retired and joined FOSA in 2012 (see class picture below). We worked on Jack Barclay's interesting property in Ashford with then State Archaeologist, Nick Bellantoni, and the late, great Bruce Greene.
The experience sparked my interest, but lit a FIRE under Scott. (pun intended)
He soaked up all he could learn about archaeology and thrived in the various roles he took on. He became President of FOSA in 2018, then next took on the role of Recording Secretary and, most importantly, evolved into our Lab and Dig Supervisor.
He supported three state archaeologists: Dr. Nick Bellantoni, the late Dr. Brian Jones, and more recently Dr. Sarah Sportman. He was instrumental in setting up the "new" building at Horsebarn Hill and moving all the materials into it along with FOSA volunteers. He also organized volunteers for lab and field work, transported equipment, took on speaking engagements, participated in our monthly radio show,"The Archaeology of Connecticut," and just did whatever needed to be done.
Scott took our name, Friends of the Office of State Archaeology, to heart and was probably the BEST friend of the OSA, going above and beyond to help Sarah.
Scott's enthusiasm and energy seemed endless. He was continuously learning and loved to share his knowledge with all who were interested. He had a personality that just drew you in. At a dig, he could be bombarded with questions and people would get back to everyone without appearing overwhelmed. He would answer questions without making anyone feel inferior. Even when he told you that your discovery was "just a rock", he said it in a way that you didn't feel (too) stupid. You will notice the same theme when you read others' memories of Scott. He was impassioned about, and dedicated to, Connecticut archaeology.
It is extremely difficult to speak of him in the past tense because he was so loved and respected. Scott will be irreplaceable not only in our organization but, most of all, in our hearts.
Respectfully,
Glenda M. Rose
IN REMEMBRANCE: SCOTT BRADY
by David Leslie,
President, Archaeological Society of Connecticut
September 3, 2025 Dear Members, As many of you will already know, we lost our dear friend and colleague, Scott Brady this past August after a brief illness. Those of us that knew Scott, knew him for what he was: a dedicated father, husband, brother, son, grandfather, and friend; but we, of course, knew him best through our shared interest in Connecticut archaeology.
Scott was a member of the Executive Board of the Archaeological Society of Connecticut, and it is difficult to overstate his contributions to the archaeology of our region, but I will try to summarize them here.
After retiring from the City of Hartford Fire Department in 2012, Scott began to volunteer his time and talents with the Office of State Archaeology (OSA), Friends of the Office of State Archaeology (FOSA), and the Archaeological Society of Connecticut. He worked closely with three State Archaeologists in the intervening 13 years, and his passion, energy, and attention to detail seemed limitless with each excavation project.
Scott would go on to serve as the President of FOSA and serve as an ex officio board member for the ASC, but after his term as FOSA President was up we insisted that he stay on as a regular ASC Board Member. Scott participated in hundreds of excavation and laboratory projects over these 13 years and it is difficult to imagine any of these projects without him.
I know that I speak for the entire ASC Board when I say that we will all miss our friend dearly and have found these last few weeks to be incredibly challenging. Our thoughts are with Scott's family and friends now, and in the future days, weeks, months, and years to come. It is difficult to imagine the years ahead without our friend.
Scott's family has requested that memorial donations be made in his name to FOSA, which you can find on their website, at: https://www.fosa-ct.org/FOSA_JoinDonate.html.
An Impossible Task
by William A. Farley
I wasn't surprised to find a long line at Scott's wake. A man that beloved, passing away so suddenly and so young - of course hundreds would come to see him off. Whole communities had shown up, intermingling with one another in a line that wrapped in on itself and out towards the street. The wait always goes quickly when it's shared with close friends with good stories. People laughed, folks talked shop, we showed pictures of artifacts to each other. Scott certainly wouldn't have had it any other way.
Anyway, when I'd reached the end, and passed the hats, and said my prayer, and reached Scott's family I was transported back to the times in my life when I've been the unlucky one. When I was on the other side of that line, shaking hands with strangers, feeling more tired than I'd ever felt in my life.
I remember very specifically being in the spot reserved for siblings of the deceased. A difficult spot in line for certain. How does this person feel, really? Not their spouse. Not their child or their parent. A brother or a sister can be complicated. Well, let me tell you my friend. It sucks. I think people expect you to talk, maybe your peer-status with the deceased means you can be their representative. And let me further tell you, that was the last thing I wanted to do when I was in the hot seat.
So, I was especially sympathetic when I reached Scott's sister, ready to give her the pass. Maybe a quick salute, a gentle handshake, and a move-along. Give this poor woman a rest. Because I know, for a fact, how tired she is. How much her heart has gone missing. How it feels like she will never, ever find it again. And how me, a guy she has never met, is most certainly not going to help her find it.
But, oh no. That would not fly, as I found out. This woman had Scott's fire. His passion. I could see it in her too similar to his eyes. She grasped my hand and pulled me close, quickly swinging her gaze between myself and my student, colleague, and friend who had braved the line by my side. She'd clocked us both as archaeologists somehow and she had something she needed to tell us. She had a message for us. I apologize for paraphrasing, the shock of it has left my memory imperfect:
was too important to him, and it's your job to step in where he left off."
And that was all.
A beautiful, thoughtful, fierce, utterly impossible task set me by the grieving sister of a man I considered a friend. Still holding her hand, I turned my head back over my shoulder and saw a group of my other friends, still here, still with me, still sharing stories and pictures of artifacts. Our community had shown up. Our community always shows up. Do you know how special that is? How rare it is? It is our task to fill the impossibly gigantic shoes of those who have gone on before us. Of Scott, of Brian, of Cos. Communities like this do not happen on their own, they take work, and they take constant love. We can do it. We can make it happen. But we have to take their place, and we have to step in where they left off.
I will miss you, my friend. Don't worry, we will keep it going.
Funeral For A Friend
by Lee West
I am one of Scott's archaeology buddies. I'm not a professional or in a position of responsibility, but just one of those who were at times directed by, and other times just got dirty with, Scott in some trench. I've seen a lot of Scott over the last 12-13 years; it probably works out to about one day per week over that time. We both became active with FOSA about the same time and for the same reason: Scott had just retired from the Hartford Fire Department and I had just cut back from a long career as a fire protection engineer at Travelers, so we both had a chance to pursue a long-deferred interest. Our different perspectives on fighting fires gave us lots to talk about while we were bent over the archeology screen or at a lab table.
But while this for me was a hobby, for Scott it became much more. I realized that I was seeing Scott 2.0, a complete commitment to a new career. He attacked this new role with incredible enthusiasm and dedication, quickly rising to various positions of leadership at FOSA. Perhaps it's accurate to say Scott was a born leader, but I suspect that he learned a lot through his experience, forged on the fireground.
A good leader does not ask others to do something he would not do himself. That was certainly Scott. The worst job on an archaeology site is duffing, that is the careful removing of sod in large squares so that we can later replace it so you would never know we had ever been there. It's not complicated and does not take advanced skills, but it is very hard work, to slice under the sod in large pieces. Scott never just directed us to do that, he always grabbed the first shovel, and made a game of it to see who could lift the largest squares. He always won that game.
A good leader treats others with respect, and Scott always did that. When we first met I had more experience with colonial ceramics than he had, from some previous digs. He treated me like an expert and often asked my opinion on one ceramic identification or another, when in fact he quickly surpassed my level of expertise in that area. Scott had a disarming way of working with others because he would always lead with modesty or self-deprecating humor. He would often begin a statement with "I could be totally wrong, but . . " and you could bet he had a very good idea following that.
Scott was never at a loss for words. While that sometimes worked against him, he had the courage to say what he was thinking, which would start a conversation when otherwise there would be none. It almost always worked out to a better conclusion.
All these things which made Scott a great leader made him an even better friend. I was regretting that I never got to give him a good-bye hug, which of course none of us did. I wondered if I had ever given him a hug and realized I had, when he came to my mother's funeral a year ago, when she passed just short of an amazing 104 years old. He came to that service, because that's what friends do for each other - they show up.
All we can do now is grieve and be grateful for the hole he leaves in all of our lives. Rest in peace, Scott.
Readers are invited to add their thoughts.
Please send an email to fosa.ct@gmail.com, using "FOSA Website: Remembrance" in the subject line.