John Thomas Cavanaugh departed this earthly life peacefully on July 12, 2022, at the age of 71. Born April 27, 1951, in Clifton, NJ, into a large, extended Irish family, he was raised in Houston, TX, where he lived until his death. He was preceded in death by his parents, John Joseph Cavanaugh and May Rose (Hanagan) Cavanaugh, and his sister, Marianne (Cavanaugh) Lewis. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Henrietta (Royal) Cavanaugh; a brother-in-law, Blake Lewis; seven children, including Joshua Cavanaugh, and wife Heidi, of Katy, TX; Christina (Cavanaugh)Serina, and husband Richard, of St. Louis, MO; Michael Cavanaugh, and wife Carrie, of Houston, TX; Joseph Cavanaugh, and wife Amy, of Houston, TX; Matthew Cavanaugh, and wife Lauren, of Houston, TX; John Paul Cavanaugh, and wife Maria, of Houston, TX; and Bethany Cavanaugh of Lubbock, TX; and 23 grandchildren.
A proud graduate of Bellaire High School and the University of Texas, John was a longtime employee of Exxon, where he worked on the ground floor of supercomputing. In his spare time, he practiced woodworking, played the hammer dulcimer, and was an avid student of theology, which led him to serve in a variety of Houston-area churches and to support many missionaries and welcome them into his home. By far his greatest love, however, was the family he shared with Henrietta. Firmly believing the words of Psalm 127:3—that “children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward”—he and Henrietta built their lives around educating their children and raising them in the Christian faith. He deeply valued time spent with his family, whether camping and hiking in state parks, attending homeschool basketball tournaments across the country, or simply long evenings in the living room talking and laughing.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to http://givetoruf.org/.
Family and Friends,
Your words have comforted us, your support has strengthened us, and your love has sustained us. We extend our deepest thanks to you for your kindness during our greatest sadness. We appreciate it more than words can express it and will always remember it.
-The Cavanaugh Family