John Joseph Caffrey passed away peacefully on the evening of November 20th , 2024 at his home in The Villages, Florida at the age of 78.
John was a dedicated and loving husband, father, brother, grandfather, and uncle. He is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Veronica (Ronnie) Caffrey; his children, Daniel (Andrea) Caffrey and Kevin (Debra) Caffrey; and his grandchildren, Jake and Aidan. He is also survived by his sister, Maureen Jazylo, his cousin, Susan Ryan, his nieces and nephews (Carla, Angela, Michael, Dawn, Tricia, and Jason), and many grandnieces and grandnephews.
John was born on April 29th , 1946 in Brooklyn, New York to Margaret and Bartholomew Caffrey. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy where he proudly served his country for four years. Subsequently, he worked full-time for the New York Fire Department while also enrolled full-time at Queens College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. John and Ronnie raised their sons in Levittown, NY while John worked for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for over 29 years before retiring to The Villages. While working for CBP, John served as an active member and proud advocate for the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU).
A passionate Bob Dylan fan, unconquerable chess player, and longtime golfer, John contained many multitudes, but his proudest and most honorable achievement was his family. In his later years, John often quoted Dylan by saying that he was “trying to get to heaven before they close the door.” We trust he is up there now enjoying a nice cup of coffee or cold glass of wine (cup of ice on the side).
