John Patrick Cavanaugh

March 26, 1926 - July 23, 2015

John Patrick Cavanaugh, 89, made a peaceful journey to be with his Lord on July 23, 2015. Pat was born on March 26, 1926 in Van Hook, North Dakota. He was called Pat since his birth because of five other Johns in the family. Pat was a 4th degree Knight of Columbus. He was the oldest of six children born to Joseph I. and Ruth O. Cavanaugh. Pat served in the Navy in WWII. After his honorable discharge, he married his first wife Julia V. (Kina) Edmunds. He attended Montana State College in Bozeman, Montana using the G.I. bill. Pat went to work with the U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service. After retiring, he worked as a consultant for FEMA. Pat and Kina lived in Lakeland Village (Elsinore), CA; Prescott and Phoenix, AZ; Mt. Horeb, WI and Lincoln, NE. His career took him throughout the U.S. and to several foreign countries. Following Kina's passing, after 56 years of marriage, Pat found love again and married his second wife, Joyce E. Gray. They shared 11 years together in Lincoln, NE, Montrose, CO and Chino Valley, AZ. In addition to his first wife, Pat was predeceased by his parents, siblings Arlys M. Taylor, Joseph D. Cavanaugh and Geraldine A. Rector. He is survived by his second wife Joyce, siblings James R. Cavanaugh, Rose M. Danks, and Joan I. Cavanaugh, 7 children – Michael (Rose), Arlys (Richard), Kathleen (Ronald), David, John Jr. (Tammy), Susan (Kim), and Christopher (Jochebed), 3 stepchildren – Edward (Patricia), Michael (Karen), Patricia (Ronald) 24 grandchildren, 12 step-grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren, 31 step-great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 AM, Thursday, July 30th, 2015 at St. Catherine Laboure's, 2062 Hwy.89, Chino Valley. Interment at 9:30 AM, Friday, July 31st, 2015 at the National Memorial Cemetery, 23029 N Cave Creek Rd, Phoenix. In Pat's memory and in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Mary's Food Bank: firstfoodbank.org.