Joseph Richard “Joe” McCaffery
January 10, 1924-February 21, 2021
Joe McCaffery passed away in Tacoma, WA, on February 21, 2021 at the age of 97. He leaves behind Dolores, his loving wife of 68 years; his devoted children, Claire (Richard) Griffin, Jean Clark, Brian (Christine) McCaffery, and Eileen (Robert) McCaffery-Lent; and his adoring grandchildren, Kathryn Clark, Laura Clark, and Dylan Clark.
Born to James and Gertrude Bolte McCaffery, Joe grew up in Oakland, California and spent his high school and college years in Santa Barbara, where he trained in the seminary for a life as a Franciscan priest. Before taking final vows, however, he felt that life and the Lord were calling him elsewhere. In the final days of the GI bill, he enlisted in the Army and served in Japan 1947-1948. Upon returning home, he attended graduate school at the University of San Francisco to earn his teaching credential. There he met the woman of his dreams, Dolores McGarry. Joe spent his forty-year professional career as a junior high school history teacher, counselor, and administrator in the San Francisco Unified School System, retiring in January 1989—the same month his beloved 49ers won their third Super Bowl.
He was active in his San Francisco parish, St. Brendan’s, as a lector, men’s club member and choir member. Most of his free time was spent with his family. Each week on Sundays after Mass, the family would go hiking in the beautiful forests and along the stunning shorelines of the San Francisco Bay Area. There were many hearty picnic lunches for the McCaffery family of home-cooked chicken, Van Camp’s Pork and Beans, and soda before the family headed out onto the trails. In retirement, Joe found great satisfaction volunteering in the Pastoral Center at Laguna Honda Hospital in San Francisco. He and Dolores also took over 100 trips, visiting every continent, including Antarctica. Joe enjoyed birding, taking and developing photos, delving into a good spy novel or historical tome, occasionally indulging in ice cream, watching Bond movies, and relaxing with a Manhattan.
Joe and Dolores moved to Tacoma, WA in 2009, residing at Franke Tobey Jones, where he served a term as a member of the Resident Council. He was a member of Holy Cross Parish in Tacoma, WA.
Joe was a model of simplicity, humility, honesty, and utter devotion to his family and his faith.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 am on Tuesday, March 9, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Tacoma, and will be streamed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfJLsqKlC7s.
Interment will follow immediately at Gethsemane Cemetery in Federal Way, WA.
Donations may be made to the Catholic Bishops of Northern Alaska (http:// dioceseoffairbanks.org) or to the Franciscan Friars of Santa Barbara
( https://sbfranciscans. org).