Ms. George Evelyn Caffrey
01/03/1948 to March 20, 2021
On the first day of spring, March 20, 2021, my best friend in the world, Ms. George Evelyn Caffery, left this world. She had been beset by a stroke, back on November 8, 2020.
She had been working hard to recover, but the effects just proved too much.
George was the original red-headed, freckle faced, firecracker. She was known to many locally as “Girl George”. As a child, she was so cute; she could have been a Cambell’s Soup model.
George, who was named for her Aunt George, who was, herself, named for her Grandfather George, reportedly, because they had two generations of girls born, and just decided that the next child would be George, regardless of gender.
My Girl George was born an army brat, in Heidelberg, Germany. She traveled with her family to numerous postings, and fondly remembered her steamship trip back to the U.S.
Her family settled in the Orlando area, where George attended high school.
During her high school career, George was in an all-girl rock and roll band, The Shambles, with her buddies Kayo, Mick, and Barb, rocking several exciting gigs in the central Florida area.
After high school, George attended Ringling College, and graduated with a fine arts degree.
George spent the Viet Nam years in Canada, first with the father of her two sons, Jack Vann (Vann) Caffery, and Jess Caffery, then as a single mom.
She migrated back to Florida with her second husband, Mark, landing in Key West in 1980.
For a short time, she was part of a cooperative art gallery on Greene Street.
She then turned to retail sales. Her reputation for comfort shoe expertise and hats went on for years.
She then turned to fine art framing, being a fixture at Ben Franklin Crafts for several years, then with Alan Maltz Gallery, sharing the fine framing duties with her buddy, Shane.
My Girl George was an accomplished seamstress, who made most of what she wore. Her stitchery was always precise, neat, and complete.
On our first Christmas together, I thought I would buy her a dress. Never again would I make that mistake, as she was hard to fit and most particular. On the rare occasion when we would be shopping and she found something that she actually approved of, it would mean an immediate purchase by me for her.
She was also an accomplished bead weaver. Her intricate jewels were, like the rest of her work, precise, measured, colorful, and exquisitely rendered.
George loved the red rocks of New Mexico, Boca Chica Beach, and her large group of friends.
For the past several years, George has tended a tiny English garden in our front yard, with all kinds of whatever flowers had caught her fancy, with quite variable results, but always soothing in execution.
George is survived by her two sons, Vann Caffery, his partner, Marisa Compton, her other son, Jess Caffery, his partner, Valarie Lauritzen, and George’s partner, Phil Tannura.
She is also survived by her cousins Christina and Rick, and countless friends and acquaintances here and abroad.
We are planning an outdoor, safe, celebration of her life (George would not want us to be unsafe in these times) on April 1, 2021, at Windsor Castle, 720 Windsor Lane, from around six to eight in the evening.
We plan to block off Galveston Lane at the Windsor Lane entrance for the celebration.
My time with my Girl George was just so sweet! I will always remember her smile.
I will love her all my life! Please stop by if you can!