Essex - Valerie Weigand McCaffrey, 85, died on Christmas Eve peacefully at home in Essex, MA, surrounded by family and holding the hand of her loving husband of 64 years, Leo McCaffrey.

She was born in Newark, NJ and graduated from Bayley Ellard High School in Madison, NJ. She attended Indiana University, where she made life-long friends. She married Leo in 1961 and they eventually made their home in Beverly Farms, MA where they raised their six children and where, upon seeing West Beach, she said she knew she had found her "place to live in the world."

Valerie continued her education, followed her passions, and developed her skills as an artist, teacher, and writer. Her Garage School of Art had many collaborative exhibits with regular installations at the Beverly Farms library. Valerie lived her faith openly as an active member of St. Margaret's for over 50 years, and in recent years, the Visitation Parish in Manchester and Essex.

She is survived by her husband, Leo J. McCaffrey of Essex, MA; three daughters, Dr. Mary McCaffrey of Beverly Farms, Gretchen Collings and her husband Gerald of Essex, and Cricket McCaffrey-Clark and her husband Rodney of Beverly Farms; two sons, John McCaffrey and his wife Xuan of Middletown, DE and Patrick McCaffrey and his wife SuFang of Beverly Farms; and many in-laws, cousins, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her daughter Cathleen "Cacky" McCaffrey Green, and by her parents, Harvey and Blanche Weigand.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, January 3rd at Sacred Heart Church, 62 School St, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA from 9:30-11:30 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at 12:00 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend.

For the complete obituary and online condolences, please visit www.greelyfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements by the Greely Funeral Home, 212 Washington Street, Gloucester.