Deacon David S. McCaffrey Jr., longtime beloved deacon at St. Michael Church in Annandale, died at home April 27, at age 83, surrounded by his family.
He was born Oct. 23, 1942, to David and Marie McCaffrey and raised in Bloomfield, N.J. As a child, he attended St. Thomas the Apostle School in Bloomfield and St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark. He spent his years in higher education at the University of Notre Dame from 1960-67, earning a bachelor’s and master’s in science and a doctorate in chemical engineering. While at Notre Dame, he also served in the Navy ROTC, which led him to serve two years in the U.S. Navy after graduation. During this time, he taught chemistry at the U.S. Naval Academy. He went on to lead a 36-year career as a chemical engineer with Esso, today known as ExxonMobil, specializing in synthetic fuels, environmental protection, and technology sales and licensing.
In 1967, he married his wife, Carol, and the two would go on to share 58 years of faith-filled marriage. Together, they raised their four children in Denville, N.J.
Two decades later, McCaffrey was ordained a permanent deacon June 10, 1989, in the Diocese of Paterson, N.J. He served at St. Mary’s Church in Denville until 2000. He and his wife then moved to Northern Virginia, where he continued his diaconate ministry at St. Michael Church. He served at the parish until his death.
Father Alexander R. Drummond, pastor of St. Michael, said he knew Deacon McCaffrey since his arrival in 2000. At the time, Father Drummond was serving at St. Michael as a parochial vicar. “He fit in seamlessly,” he said, describing Deacon McCaffrey as having a great sense of humor. “He was very humble and was always trying to work with people and help them.” When Father Drummond returned as pastor in 2016, “one of the great joys for me returning to St. Michael’s was coming back to work with him,” he said.
At St. Michael, Deacon McCaffrey led OCIA, formerly called RCIA, and he and Carol helped lead local groups of Teams of Our Lady, an international ministry devoted to strengthening Christian marriages. Much of the time, Deacon McCaffrey’s work went unnoticed, behind the scenes, but his absence will be deeply felt by the entire parish community, Father Drummond said. “We’ll miss him in just about every aspect of parish life,” he said. “He was just a very integral part of the parish, and he leaves a big gap for us.”
McCaffrey is survived by his wife, Carol; his sister, Mary Rose; his children, Marie (David), Eileen, Theresa (Greg), and David (Kim); and 10 cherished grandchildren: Maia, Judson, Brent, Corey, Toby, Bria, Peter, Clara, Daniel and Matthew.
Visitation will be held May 3, from 4-7 p.m., at Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home, 9902 Braddock Rd., Fairfax. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered May 4, at 10 a.m., at St. Michael Church, 7401 St. Michael’s Ln., Annandale.
