Remembering Brad Gaddy

On July 26, member and friend of the horticulture industry Brad Gaddy passed away at 53 years old.

Born Bradley Dean Gaddy, Brad was born on Feb. 22, 1966 in Chester, South Carolina, and graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1989 with a bachelor’s of science degree, according to his obituary. He had held multiple roles in the horticulture industry since 1996 and most recently worked at Schaefer Ventilation Equipment.

Mark Davis, owner and CEO of Atlas Manufacturing, says he first met Brad about 20 or 25 years ago when Brad was in a different role in the industry. He says he remembers Brad always telling a joke when they spoke.

“He was very likable, personable and his personality obviously fit the role of a salesman,” says Mark, who works out of Georgia. “He was in the right field — I can put it to you like that. He was always one that could find some synergy in anybody he was talking to.”

As a graduate of South Carolina, Brad was a fan of the university’s football team, the Gamecocks.

"It was always a topic of conversation of, how good was Georgia going to be this year compared to his South Carolina Gamecocks. When the season was on, it depended on who might have beat who over the weekend. You might get a call from him, particularly if Georgia lost,” Mark says, laughing.

Brad’s love of sports extended to baseball and soccer, according to his obituary. In 1995, he founded Chester’s first youth soccer league and the following year, helped form the first soccer team at Chester High School. He was also a Chicago Cubs fan.

The obituary also said that Brad was a man of faith and often discussed his love of the Lord with others.

“Brad’s sense of humor and his charismatic nature will be greatly missed by anyone who met him, whether it was for five minutes or 50 years,” the obituary read