Richard John Caffrey

Richard J. Caffrey, 55, a devoted husband and father from Marietta, GA, passed away peacefully on March 10, 2021 after a hard fought battle with COVID-19. He was surrounded by his loving family, siblings and parents when he passed through heaven’s gate and into the awaiting arms of our Lord.

Richard was born and raised in the suburbs of Atlanta, GA and was an alumnus of Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School. As a youth, he spent much of his time with his brothers and friends at Brittany Swim & Tennis Club. When he wasn’t swimming or playing street hockey, he could be found dispensing sage advice and cooking instruction to his adoring little sister. As an active member of the Boy Scouts, Richard attained the rank of Life Scout. He was a studious teen with a quick wit and a penchant for mathematics. He attended Marist School in the early 80s, where he further developed his love of swimming and math. After exploring different career options, Richard was drawn to the restaurant industry. He and his business partner introduced the Mellow Mushroom restaurant chain to Athens, GA when they opened the Mellow Mushroom on Broad Street. Restaurant ownership satisfied Richard’s zeal for cooking while providing him with a platform for connecting with people. His regulars would come to him for his pearls of wisdom as much as they would for a meal or a drink. While in Athens, he decided to cash in on his predilection for mathematics and pursued a degree in accounting. Richard graduated cum laude from Georgia State University shortly after meeting the girl of his dreams Jennifer. He went on to provide freelance restaurant accounting and bookkeeping services while wooing his soulmate. Richard married the love of his life in 2003 and happily became a father to young Johnathan. A few years later, they welcomed their second son, Nicholas. Richard was passionate about his family and incredibly proud of his two sons. As a family they enjoyed countless baseball games, trips to the lake and cheering on their rival football teams, UGA and UT. In addition to spending time with his family, Richard maintained his restaurant accounting and bookkeeping business. As COVID negatively impacted the food service industry, he took on extra work at FedEx and remained there up until the time of his passing.

Richard is survived by his wife, Jennifer Caffrey and their two sons, Johnathan (25) and Nicholas (14), as well as his parents Hugh and Kathleen Caffrey. Also left to keep the stories alive are his siblings John Caffrey (Susan), Michael Caffrey (Mary) and Mary Beth Rozboril (Todd), as well as several beloved nieces and nephews and a large extended family.

A public visitation will be held on Friday, March 19 from 4-7pm at H.M. Patterson & Son – Oglethorpe Hill Chapel (4550 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30319). A private family mass will be celebrated on March 20, 2021 at 2pm at Our Lady of the Assumption, followed by a public grave site service at 3:30 pm at Arlington Memorial Cemetery (201 Mt Vernon Hwy NE, Sandy Springs, GA 30328).

Richard was an extraordinarily kind person who cared deeply for others. He was a devoted husband, father, brother, son, and friend, and was often referred to as a Teddy Bear. He will forever remain a part of anyone who got to know him. In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting a GoFundMe set up to honor Richard and support his family and Nicholas’s college dreams.

https://gofund.me/1b91f399