Bruce Tolford Grady's Obituary
Bruce Tolford Grady, age 73, passed away on August 14, 2024. Bruce was born at Lee Memorial in 1951 to John Leo Grady and Helen Tolford Grady Hutzler. He was a proud graduate of Fort Myers High School, Class of 1969, where he served as Student Council President. In 1973, Bruce graduated from Stetson University with a degree in Business Administration, paving the way for a successful career in real estate.
Bruce began his real estate career in 1975 by joining his father at Grady Realty & Construction. In 1977, he founded Grady Properties and developed three mobile home subdivisions through 1994. His leadership extended to downtown Fort Myers, where in 1987 and 1988, he served as the leasing director and building manager for the city’s first-class A building, a nine-story landmark. Bruce also was an active member and the 1988 president of Downtown Property Owners Inc., demonstrating his commitment to the development and prosperity of the area.
His service to the community took him beyond real estate. From 1988 to 1996, Bruce was a Fort Myers City Councilman representing Ward 5. During his tenure, he represented the city on the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for 12 years, including one year as Chairman. He also served seven years on the Lee County Regional Water Supply Authority, where he held the position of Chairman for two years.
In 1996, Bruce was elected Mayor of Fort Myers, assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer under the strong mayor form of government. His time as mayor was marked by numerous accomplishments, including negotiating the sale of 708 acres at Omni Business Park DRI to Miami Heat Coach Pat Riley, expanding the city's limits through annexation, creating the Winkler Safe Neighborhood District with overwhelming community support, and spearheading the widening and rebuilding of West First Street. He also oversaw a significant increase in residential development and the redevelopment of McGregor Blvd with continuous turn lanes and decorative streetlights.
After his term as mayor, Bruce returned to real estate, where he planned, developed, and managed a 13-acre RV and boat storage facility on Diplomat Parkway E in Cape Coral. His dedication to Fort Myers continued as he served on the Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Advisory Board for many years until 2022.
Bruce's love for the community of Fort Myers and Southwest Florida was evident in all aspects of his life. He was an avid boater and held a private pilot's license, logging 2,500 hours in the air. He found joy in building two homes on Upper Captiva Island, where he created lasting memories with family and friends.
Bruce is preceded in death by his parents, John Grady and Helen Hutzler, and his sister and brother-in-law, Joan and Wayne Arnold. He is survived by his beloved wife of 41 years, Beverly Edgar Grady, his son Timothy, his daughter Emelie Grady Tarazon (Isaac), his stepdaughter Rebecca Myers Noe (Jason), his grandchildren John, Joshua, Jacob, Kori, and Kristina, his sister Gail Grady Dingee (Jay), and his nephews Michael Arnold and Patrick Arnold (Amanda).
Bruce’s family has entrusted Fort Myers Memorial Gardens with the care of his final arrangements. A celebration of life will be held on August 31, 2024, at 11:00 AM at Covenant Presbyterian Church, located at 2439 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33901. The service will be livestreamed at https://covpcfm.com/covenant/sermons/ . In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Covenant Presbyterian Church or to the Calusa Waterkeepers PO Box 1165 Fort Myers 33902 (CalusaWaterkeeper.org)
Bruce Tolford Grady's legacy of leadership, service, and love for his community will be remembered and cherished by all who knew him.
What’s your fondest memory of Bruce?
What’s a lesson you learned from Bruce?
Share a story where Bruce's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Bruce you’ll never forget.
How did Bruce make you smile?