Shirley McCaffery, 75, artist, hoops fan

Shirley McCaffery must be in line for some kind of record for attendance at college basketball games.

For a good 20 years, she traveled all over the country, and as far away as Hawaii and several European countries, to watch teams coached by her son Fran play.

Fran, now head coach of the basketball team at Siena College, in Loudonville, N.Y., coached at Lehigh University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and was an assistant coach at Notre Dame.

She didn't catch every game, of course, but frequently wherever Fran and his teams went, Shirley was there, cheering them on.

Shirley McCaffery, a retired secretary in the counseling office of Girls High for some 25 years, a talented artist and loving mother and grandmother, died yesterday. She was 75 and lived in Lafayette Hill.

She was born in Philadelphia to Albert and Agnes Soliday. She graduated from Simon Gratz High School.

"She followed Fran's teams religiously," said her other son, Jack McCaffery, a sports columnist for the Delaware County Daily Times. "She enjoyed following all sports and being with her children and grandchildren.

"She was easy to get along with, very friendly to everyone. She was liked by everybody."

Shirley retired from Girls High about seven years ago.

She was a talented artist who enjoyed sketching people, using pen and ink and pencil. It was something she did for her own and her family's amusement.

She also is survived by a sister, Elmira Fainberg; a brother, Albert Soliday, and four grandchildren.

Services: Funeral Mass at noon Monday at St. Philip Neri Church, 437 Ridge Pike, Lafayette Hill. Friends may call at 10:30 a.m.

Burial will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Cheltenham. *