A Tribute to The Rev. Dr. Brady Young Faggart, Jr.

The description/promotion for Brady’s popular book, Second Half: What Can You Do With the Rest of Your Life on Amazon.com reflects so clearly the life-long focus of this humble man’s personal life and ministry: “Are you already retired or thinking about retirement? … Now that you can choose your own course for the rest of your life, do you want to contribute in a meaningful way? Do you want to provide an example of a life well-lived to your children and grandchildren? Do you want to get involved in something that makes a difference in this world in a small or even a big way?”

His was a life well-lived, full of meaning and purpose, that made a difference in my life and, I’m sure, in the world around him. Brady Young Faggart, Jr., born April 17, 1930 in Concord, NC, died on the First Sunday of Advent, November 29, 2020, in Greensboro, NC. It seems fitting for a life so well-lived that his death came as the Church he loved entered a new Church Year of challenge and expectation. The fullness of his personal life and professional ministry will be reported in many and various places as word of his death spreads. Son of Brady Y. and Annie Aycock Faggart, Sr., husband of Lois McEachern Faggart, and father of Laura Beth, Lois Anne and Luther Brady Faggart, faith and family were his life and joy. I lift up only a few of the many roles and responsibilities God gave this faithful servant throughout his lifetime: Mission developer, pastor and later interim pastor; NC Synod Secretary of Christian Education; the second Executive Director of Lutheridge until he left to become Assistant to the President of the Lutheran Church in America, Dr. Robert Marshall; member of both Church-wide and Synodical boards and committees; Interim Director of Lutheridge-Lutherock Ministries, Inc.; community boards and agencies – and so much more.

Wherever our paths crossed or we met for a common purpose or responsibility, Brady was at work helping wherever he could whoever he could to live fully and faithfully the life God desires for all. I’m grateful for the evening many years ago when our Eutychus Campfirmation Cluster gathered for our annual winter planning meeting. That year we met in the North Myrtle Beach area and went for dinner to a local restaurant. The conversation at our table was lively and church-work related when Brady came over. He and Lois were at the beach for a little get-away and, as we, out for dinner. Well into his retirement, Brady was keenly interested in campfirmation at Lutheridge and how it was going for us.

But then, Brady was always keenly interested in “how it was going” for each and everyone around him. From parish ministry to outdoor ministry to Church-wide staff, to his retirement years, not even a severe automobile accident and an extended recovery could hinder his efforts to be out and about, doing what he could, wherever he could, to help God’s people of all ages live a life of meaning and purpose in God’s world. On my last visit in 2019, sitting together on the sofa in the new assisted living apartment at Greensboro’s Village Green that was to be his final home, even as his mind and memory slowly slipped away, he wanted to know, “So how’s it going for NovusWay?” A model and mentor for me, I will think of Brady as I pass by Faggart Village at Lutheridge, remember our work together in The Heritage Campaign for Lutheridge and Lutherock and the years we served together on the former LLMI Board and be forever grateful. “Well done, good and faithful servant….” Yes, Lord, for me he truly was.

Written by Rev. Dr. John (Jan) Setzler, Senior Development Officers for NovusWay Ministries