McCAFFREY, Francis Lewis “Frank” Age 72, of Brockton, MA, passed away peacefully on November 26th, 2025, with his loving family by his side after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.
Frank was born on the 11th of January, 1953 in Westfield, MA. He graduated from Saint Mary’s High School in Westfield, MA in 1971, where he made lifelong friends whom he cherished like family. He attended Stonehill College and received his BA from Boston State College in 1982. He went on to earn his MSW from Boston University in 1985.
He was extremely proud of his work as a licensed clinical social worker in oncology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Over his 33-year career, Frank helped countless cancer patients and their families navigate some of the most difficult times in their lives. He was present in so many loving, caring, and compassionate ways as people faced their own illnesses and death. Frank was respected and dearly beloved by both colleagues and patients. He facilitated several cancer support groups in the Boston area, including the Boston Area Prostate Cancer Support Group, Melanoma Patients and Caregivers Group, and Men’s Cancer Group at the Norwell VNA. He received numerous awards for his support of cancer patients and families including the Beth Israel Deaconess Bernice K. Snyder Award for Clinical Excellence and the Cynthia A. Lucero Humanitarian Award from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. He leaves a legacy of grateful patients, friends, and family who have benefited from his unwavering kindness, generosity, and empathy.
Frank had a lifelong passion for music, playing guitar, ukulele, mandolin, and banjo. One of his greatest joys was playing music with his many friends and the band. He performed at neighborhood block parties and social work parties and loved changing lyrics to songs to embrace friends’ birthdays or retirements. A self-taught musician, he saved countless audio and video recordings of himself and others so that he could constantly improve his craft. He had a special ability to play songs and get people to sing along.
Frank was also a diehard Red Sox, Celtics, and Patriots fan. He ran the Boston Marathon three times in honor of his daughter Colleen who passed away at age 10 after her own battle with cancer. An avid hiker, Frank’s favorite places were Acadia National Park, Blue Hills, and Borderlands State Park. He loved going for walks with all of his dogs over the years and will be missed by his little dog Koda. He enjoyed vacationing with his family in Scituate, MA and Highland Beach, FL. He appreciated the important things in his life like family, good friends, music, nature, and a good book.
Frank made every person and every life moment feel extra special. He was unafraid to show emotion or to be unabashedly goofy. His big heart, honest humility, ability to love unconditionally, and resilient spirit were treasured and will be sorely missed by his family, friends, and colleagues.
Frank is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 48 years, Theresa “Terri” McCaffrey (Hackett), his son Michael McCaffrey and his wife Rebecca, his son Christopher McCaffrey and his partner Meghan Olivar, his sister Jane McCaffrey, and his brother Peter McCaffrey and his wife Roxanne. He is also lovingly remembered by his mother-in-law Joan, brothers- and sisters-in-law, and many dear cousins, nieces, and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents Ruth and Thomas McCaffrey, his brother Thomas McCaffrey II, and his daughter Colleen McCaffrey.
His family would like to thank the wonderful doctors and nurses at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston for their loving care and support of Frank during his illness.
Visitation will be on Friday, December 12th from 4-7pm at the Conley Funeral Home, 138 Belmont Street (Rte. 123) Brockton, Massachusetts. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10:30am on Saturday, December 13th at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 433 West St, Brockton, Massachusetts. We kindly ask that all who are attending the service on Saturday meet directly at Our Lady of Lourdes Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Frank’s name to the Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center Fund (https://www.bidmc.org/giving) or Friends of the Blue Hills (https://friendsofthebluehills.org/).