Caroline Anita Brady

Caroline Anita Brady, 81, of Tempe, Arizona, passed away on April 26, 2026. Born Caroline Anita Thrift on October 4, 1944, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she was the only child of Robert Thrift and Jenny Saporito (later Jenny Yates). Caroline often delighted in the fact that her initials spelled out “CAT,” a small detail she carried with pride throughout her life.

A woman of immense discipline and artistry, Caroline was a gifted, self-taught classical pianist. Her passion for music filled her home, which housed a spinet, an upright, and a baby grand piano, often surrounded by her collection of busts of the great composers like Beethoven, Bach, Liszt, and Chopin. Beyond her music, she was an avid gardener and athlete who loved ice skating, swimming, and exercising. A favorite family memory from the winter of 1973-74 captures her vibrant spirit, as she was photographed by the South Bend Tribune figure skating while towing her young son, John.

Caroline’s greatest legacy is her family. Having been an only child herself, as was her mother, she often said she "wanted a flock of children"—a wish she fulfilled with her five children: Frank James, Jayne Christine (Carter), John Russell, Dennis Lee Chapman, and Scott Allen Brady.

She is survived by her five children and her former spouse, Allen Russell Brady (father to Scott). She was preceded in death by Frank Everet Chapman (father to Frank, Jayne, and John) and by Roger Goodsell (father to Dennis).

She leaves behind a cherished generation of grandchildren: Joshua Leo Versailles (son of Jayne); Damion and Justin Chapman (sons of John); and Miles and Albert (sons of Dennis).