Barbara Jean McCaffery

Barbara J. McCaffery, age 84, passed away peacefully Sunday, October 26, 2025, at Angela Hospice in Livonia, after a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s. She was born July 2, 1941 in Stoughton, WI, the daughter of Lloyd and Aura Haugen. She graduated from Edgerton High School and attended college at UW Whitewater. She was married to Ron McCaffery December 30, 1959 and they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on December 30, 2024. Ron and Barb were blessed with three sons, Eric, Kevin and Doug. Barb was very proud of her sons throughout her life and engaged with them on many projects over the years.

Barb considered her upbringing to be very idyllic on the Haugen farm with her wonderful education in a one-room schoolhouse through 8th grade followed by being an Honor student at Edgerton High School. She had many pleasant memories of those times throughout her life.

Barb was a very caring, compassionate and kind person, who would do anything to help people in need and she also loved animals. She was a very diversified person who loved the arts, being a member of the DIA for many years, and was a good artist herself. We kidded her that with all of her art supplies she had so many supplies she could open her own Art Store. She also loved music, playing the piano and clarinet in early years. Later in life she and Ron had seasons tickets DSO concerts. They also attended Plymouth Concert band concerts among many other orchestras and bands.

In addition to her artistic interests and abilities, she was a very handy person who could fix nearly anything, ranging from building a lengthy picket fence in the Romeo property with her sons, to installing a kitchen garbage disposal unit. She loved learning and was a very curious person all of her life, watching many PBS documentaries.

Barb also loved to travel, being a member of the Nomads Travel Club, who owned their own Boeing 737 and enjoyed 24 winters in sunny Southern California. She said Ron and her were very fortunate to hang out with many midwestern friends in the San Diego area, most who shared her Norwegian heritage.

Barb was a good athlete, playing many sports, while trying to keep up with her older brothers, and playing league softball until she was 40. She was a fierce competitor in volleyball, racquetball, and enjoyed playing golf until she was 80.

Barb is survived by her two sons Kevin (Jeff) and Doug, her older brother Bruce Haugen, and younger sister Bette (Doug) Frank and many family and friends in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. She was predeceased by her son Rick, her daughter-in-law Jan, her parents Lloyd and Aura and brothers Roger and Vernie.

A Memorial service will be held Saturday, November 1, 2025, at the Harry J. Will 37000 6 Mile Road Livonia, with visitation starting at 10:00, and the service starting at 11:00.

Services will be livestreamed using this link: https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/c25105574096598

We thank the Rose Senior Living organization in Novi, MI and Angela Hospice for the compassionate care they provided Barb in the last few months of her life.