Lance MacFarland "Duke" Brady

SHREWSBURY-As he always did, Lance Brady faced his cancer diagnosis with same determination he faced everything else…full speed ahead. Surrounded by his loving family, Lance MacFarland "Duke" Brady, 48, a local hockey legend passed away in the evening hours of February 5th at the Spaulding Nursing and Therapy Center Brighton.

Lance or "Duke" as he was affectionately known to his teammates, coaches, players and friends devoted most his life playing and coaching a sport that he so loved, hockey.

He currently served as the Director of Hockey Operations for Merrimack College, North Andover, MA. Prior to that, Duke spent 10 years coaching the Assumption College Greyhounds. He was named "Coach of the Year "by the NE10 four times during his time at Assumption College, and was proud of the fact that he coached three players who have gone on to play professionally. Duke joined the coaching staff of Assumption College after serving as associate head coach from nearby Becker College. He also served as an assistant coach at Marlboro High School, Marlborough, MA. He spent time as a player and assistant coach for the Birmingham Bulls of the ECHL in 1997-98, an executive member of the Professional Hockey Players Association from 1995-98 and as a coach/counselor at Dynamic Skating from 1990-96. He worked as a network administrator & account executive for the Worcester Ice Cats during the 1998-99 season. Lance, also, worked for a number of technology companies, including Microsoft and Nuance.

Duke's playing career in both ice hockey and roller hockey, was with the Birmingham Bulls, ECHL, Las Vegas Thunder, IHL; Baltimore Bandits, AHL; Cincinnati Cyclones, IHL; Birmingham Bulls, ECHL (two time All Star); Worcester Ice Cats, AHL; Cleveland Lumberjacks, IHL; Columbus Chill, ECHL; USA Hockey In-Line National Team (gold medalist at World Championships, Helsinki, Finland 1996); Orlando Jackals, RHI; Orlando Roller Gators, RHI; New Jersey Rock N Rollers, RHI.

Duke began playing hockey as a young boy and continued into his high school years. He played for Sandwich High School and then was also a stand out athlete at Canterbury Prep, Milford, CT. Brady graduated from Holy Cross College, Class of 1993 with a Bachelor's degree in economics. He was a three-year athletic standout for the Crusaders, and was the team captain during his senior year. He was named as an ECAC East Second Team All-Star and a New England Hockey Writers All-Star. He was a multi time Cape Cod Times All Star in hockey and baseball. He loved to spend his free time golfing and sitting on the beaches of Sandy Neck in Sandwich and Seabrook Beach in New Hampshire.

Lance will be forever missed by his loving wife, Elizabeth Anne (Breault)Brady; parents, James H. and Elizabeth A. (Morrissey) Brady of Sandwich; his brother, Devon Brady and his wife, Keara and their children, Owen, Leighton, Ryder and Nolan. Lance also leaves many loved Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and especially Matthew Brown.

Family and friends are invited to gather to celebrate and honor Lance during his visiting hours on SUNDAY, February 10th from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Callahan, Fay and Caswell Funeral Home, 61 Myrtle Street, WORCESTER. His family and friends will gather for his Mass of Christian Burial on TUESDAY, February 12th at 11:00 a.m. at Corpus Christi Church, 3204 Quaker Meetinghouse Road, East Sandwich. Burial will follow in Forestdale Cemetery, Sandwich. Memorial donations in Duke's name may be made to Gordon R. Borek Memorial Fund, Cardigan Mountain School, 32 Alumni Dr., Canaan, NH 03741. To share a memory or leave an online condolence for the family, please visit www.callahanfay.com