Bradley Zeak Naifeh

Bradley Z. Naifeh, Oklahoma City businessman, passed away Friday, June 29th in Houston while waiting for a heart transplant after being diagnosed with a rare blood disorder. He was 64. Born August 16, 1953, Brad was the oldest child of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Z. Naifeh of Oklahoma City. He was in the second graduating class of Heritage Hall and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Westminster College in Fulton, MO in 1976. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity. Brad was a third-generation business owner of Central Liquor Company along with his brother, Greg, and cousin, Justin, both of Oklahoma City. Of Lebanese descent, Brad came from a very entrepreneurial family. His grandfather on his mother's side, Kay (Kamil) Eddie, started what at one time was the world's largest feed mill, Superior Feed, located just south of downtown. Brad's grandfather on his father's side, Zeak Naifeh, immigrated through Ellis Island as a young boy and went on to found Sooner Candy and Tobacco Co. and then, in 1959 when Oklahoma became "wet," Central Liquor Company. Brad was a co-founder of Best Brands Distributing Co. and a partner in Naifco Oil. A passionate golfer, Brad was a stock-holding member of Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club, Oak Tree National and a member of the Plantation Club of La Quinta, CA. Brad was a former Board member of the Oklahoma Health Center Foundation and the Oklahoma State Chamber. He was a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma Class of 17. He was a member of the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and served on the Board of Advisors since 2006. Brad was on the Chamber's Board of Directors from 2012-2016, the Tinker Leadership Community in 2008 and 2017, and he served on the Oklahoma City Economic Development Foundation Board of Directors from 2000-2007. Most recently Brad served as Vice-Chair for the Chamber's Total Resource Development Campaign. Brad joined the Young President's Organization in 1992 and WPO in 2004. He loved the friendships and business connections he made and grew as a person and businessman through his YPO Forum Group. A tireless fundraiser, Brad was a Board member of the Swing for Sight Golf Tournament in the 1990's and founded Taste for Sight, both benefitting Prevent Blindness Oklahoma. In 2005, Brad developed and co-chaired Les Femmes du Vin, a wine tasting fundraiser featuring the women winemakers of Napa and Sonoma and benefitting the Children's Hospital Foundation. The event was so popular it went on to be modeled in other cities by the very vintners for whom it was created. Brad was a long-time supporter of Allied Arts and co-chaired the biannual OPUS event with his wife of 28 years, Valerie, in 2014 and 2016. A tireless advocate of Oklahoma City and its many non-profits, Brad worked to raise money for many of them including Peaceful Family Solutions, the Scott and Kim Verplank Foundation, the YWCA, the Jim Thorpe Museum and Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, and many, many more that are too numerous to mention. When not on the golf course or in his office, Brad could be found watching golf on TV. Besides enjoying a good Scotch and a cigar at Oak Tree or on the patio by his pool, Brad enjoyed traveling to Sun Valley, Idaho, with his family for skiing and every summer for fly fishing, biking, hiking, and more golf. He was passionate about France and lived in Bordeaux one summer during college to learn the French wine business. Brad was a frequent attendee of the Napa Valley Vintner Association's annual Barrel Tasting and Auction and gained many industry friends over the years from these trips, which he loved. Brad will not only be remembered for his love of golf, but for the endless number of friends he made wherever he went. When inspired, he was tireless. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, and worried most about providing for his family's every need. Brad is survived by his mother, Mrs. Robert (Jeaneen) Naifeh of Oklahoma City, his wife Valerie and their two daughters, Megan Fleischfresser, and Leigh Naifeh; son-in-law Kyle Fleischfresser and granddaughter, Agnes, all of Oklahoma City. He is also survived by brothers Greg and Stan and sister, Jenee Lister, all of Oklahoma City, as well as many nieces and nephews. What Brad's family and friends will miss most was his larger-than-life personality and his capacity to just "dive all-in." Brad will be missed by his assistant of 25 years, Felicia Smith. Valerie Naifeh wishes to thank Drs. Jeff Sparling and Doug Horstmanshof of Integris. The family expresses deep gratitude and appreciation for the doctors and nurses at Houston Methodist Hospital including Jolene Blackshear and Cindy Alford and the heroic efforts of Dr. A. Bimaraj and Dr. Brian Bruckner. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Amyloidosis Foundation at www.amyloidosis.org; Golf, Inc. of Oklahoma (by check, please write Brad Naifeh Scholarship Fund on memo line; 4001 N.E. Grand Blvd, OKC 73111); or to the Flowers That Do Not Whither Fund c/o St. Elijah, 15000 N. May Avenue, OKC 73134. Brad may your memory be eternal.