Mayor McCaffrey remembered for his love of Warwick

By John Howell
Posted 6/27/17

Warwick and the larger state community said farewell Monday to Eugene McCaffrey, who served as mayor from 1973 to 1977 and, after an unsuccessful bid for Congress, played a quiet role in Warwick …

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Mayor McCaffrey remembered for his love of Warwick

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Warwick and the larger state community said farewell Monday to Eugene McCaffrey, who served as mayor from 1973 to 1977 and, after an unsuccessful bid for Congress, played a quiet role in Warwick Democratic circles. Prior to running for mayor in 1972, Mr. McCaffrey served in the Rhode Island House and then the State Senate.

Former Mayor McCaffrey died Friday at the age of 84. His funeral was held Monday morning at St. Benedict Church in Conimicut. The Rev. Roland Simoneau, who is retiring this Friday as parish pastor, was the celebrant with the Rev. Robert Marciano, pastor of St. Kevin Church, serving as con-celebrant.

“Allow me first to say that whatever I might say here this morning regarding Mayor McCaffrey pales in comparison to the inspiring homily he has written with his life, with his commitment to his family, his city and to his Catholic faith,” Father Marciano said in opening remarks.

More than 300 people filled the church, many of them related or close friends of the expansive McCaffrey family. An honor guard, including members of the House and the Senate, as well state officers including Governor Gina Raimondo, lined both sides of the church entry at the start and end of the Mass of Christian Burial. They were augmented by a Warwick Police honor guard that saluted the McCaffrey family as they filed into the church.

Among those in attendance were former mayors Philip W. Noel and Joseph Walsh. Noel, who went on to become governor, preceded Mr. McCaffrey as mayor and Walsh followed his tenure as mayor.

An attorney, Mayor McCaffrey kept a hand in the law in his later years and was a regular at his son Michael’s practice, where he could be frequently found kibitzing with clients and reminiscing.

In his homily, Father Marciano said Mr. McCaffrey “loved Warwick as much as Warwick loved him, as was evidenced by the historic amount of votes that he received whenever he ran for office.”

Father Marciano also quoted from an article that appeared in the Beacon that “traced his history from his early youthful days, right to the corner office of City Hall as Mayor in 1972 and outlined the good works of this good man for decades.” He noted that the author concluded that Mr. McCaffrey “was never a man of many words, nor did he have to be, since his good deeds and ready smile did all the talking for him.”

Also participating in the service were Michael McCaffrey, John T. McCaffrey, Eugene J. McCaffrey III, William D. McCaffrey, Michael F. McCaffrey and Brendan J. McCaffrey, who served as pall bearers; Michael J. McCaffrey, who delivered the first reading; and granddaughters Cailin McCaffrey, Brenna McCaffrey, Catherine Clements and Deirdre McCaffrey, who delivered general intercessions. William M. McCaffrey, Robert F. McCaffrey and Irene Livsey presented the gifts.

“His hard working youth, his devotion to the love of his life, Ann, whom he married in 1961, his service to the nation as a Marine rising to the rank of Major, and his many elected offices on state and local levels helped him help others in countless and often hidden ways,” said Father Marciano.

Among the many who paid tribute to Mr. McCaffrey was Mayor Scott Avedisian, a Republican.

“My favorite Mayor McCaffrey story,” Avedisian said in an email, “of course, deals with his representation of the Board of Directors of the Gaspee Days Committee. As a charter member, he always took pride in assisting the committee. When I was president, we had a legal issue and he called me back to update me and laughed about the fact that Gaspee was bringing the two parties together.”

Avedisian had a second story dealing with the J. Arthur Trudeau Center hall of fame dinner honoring all living Warwick mayors.

“He loved the fact that Mayors McCaffrey, Noel, Walsh, Flaherty, Donovan, Chafee and Avedisian were all on the stage together. Said it showed city unity,” said Avedisian.

Attorney Joseph McGair, who was appointed city solicitor and reappointed by Mr. McCaffrey, said the former mayor “was very instrumental in my career.” As a young attorney, McGair said Mayor McCaffrey trusted him with handling some of the city’s major cases, including one involving a suit brought by Truk Away, which claimed the city owed the company $5 million for under-reporting refuse handled by the company transfer station.

“He would get his Irish up, I’m not going to settle,” McGair remembered.

McGair dug into the case with then director of public works Robert Knox. They argued the city’s case, and when the judge issued a ruling McGair reported back to Mayor McCaffrey.

McGair recalled McCaffrey asking how it turned out. McGair said the city had lost. McCaffrey wanted to know how much. McGair said “five.”

“$5 million,” McCaffrey said with a sigh.

“No,” responded McGair, “five thousand.”

“I thought he was going to kiss me,” said McGair.

McGair said McCaffrey came from a different political era when candidates who lost stepped aside and let those who won do the job. He said McCaffrey did that when he lost his bid for Congress. But then, he observed, loss of a political bid did not equate to stepping out of contributing to the community.

That was something former Mayor McCaffrey did throughout his life.

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  • davebarry109

    A good man. Good family man. RIP mayor.

    Tuesday, June 27, 2017 Report this