Michael F. Rafferty | Family doctor, 51

Michael F. Rafferty, 51, of Huntingdon Valley, a family physician, died Friday, Feb. 24, of pancreatic cancer at home.

Since 2003, Dr. Rafferty had a family practice at Holy Redeemer Hospital in Meadowbrook. Before that, he had been with a practice in Northeast Philadelphia for 13 years.

Dr. Rafferty grew up in Drexel Hill and Northeast Philadelphia and graduated from George Washington High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1982 from La Salle University, where he played trombone in the pep and jazz bands.

After graduating from Osteopathic Medical School of Kansas City, Mo., in 1986, he interned at Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn and completed a residency in family medicine at Temple University.

Since 1985, Dr. Rafferty had been married to Erica Sztukowski Rafferty.

He was an adviser and "strategic planner" for the Firebirds robotic team at Mount St. Joseph Academy when his oldest daughter was on the team and attended his younger daughter's swim meets at the school.

He enjoyed his Macintosh, video games, and watching the Phillies and the science-fiction TV series Dr. Who.

A dedicated bicyclist, Dr. Rafferty participated for more than a decade in the annual City to Shore Ride to benefit multiple sclerosis research.

Besides his wife, he is survived by daughters Elizabeth and Miranda; a son, Christopher; his father and stepmother, Bernard and Bonnie Rafferty; and two sisters.

Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, at Fitzpatrick Funeral Home, 1500 Old York Rd., Abington, and from 9:30 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29, at St. Albert the Great Roman Catholic Church, 212 Welsh Rd., Huntingdon Valley. Burial will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Cheltenham.

Donations may be made to Educational Fund for Rafferty Children, c/o PFFCU, 901 Arch St., Philadelphia 19107.