Maryrose G. Cavanaugh

Mary was a force: a standout daughter, tireless volunteer, lover of walking with friends, unparalleled mom and practically perfect partner to her husband of 28 years, Martin Cavanaugh. She was born on October 18, 1965, in Walpole Massachusetts, the youngest of three children to Nicholas and Patricia Grugnale. To her brothers, Joe and Mike, Mary was the quintessential little sister, always finding a way to get what she wanted. As a child, Mary did gymnastics, rode horses, twirled a baton, and always insisted on fruit cup at dinner. She attended Blessed Sacrament School, Bishop Feehan High School, and graduated from UMass Lowell in 1988.

In 1992 she met Marty. Their life together brought them from Manchester, NH to Oak Park, IL and finally to Chatham, MA. It also brought them their girls: Molly Kate and Emily Rose. Through it all, Mary was their center. No Hatch School function was without her mark. Her girls and their friends piled into her suburban on their way to gymnastics, soccer, and dance drama & music. She opened her home to everyone she met, hosting team dinners, countless proms, and Chatham A's players each summer. In Oak Park, you could always find her amongst loved ones and friends listening to live music at Fitzgerald’s. Through winter months in Chatham, Mary and Marty spent countless hours with friends at Chatham Platform Tennis, and on rainy days they saw movies at her beloved Orpheum Theater.

No matter the location, Mary always found and forged community. In Oak Park she was part of the Hatch PTO, Newcomers Club, and the Women’s Guild. She introduced her friends to bunco—a dice game they played long after she moved away. On the Cape, she worked at the Cape Cod Community College Educational Foundation, volunteered with WE CAN and the Atwood House Museum, sat on Chatham’s Beautification Committee, and joined a group dedicated to the reopening of a downtown movie theater—a dream that turned into ten years on the Orpheum Board. She was a highly involved member of St. Christopher’s Church and sat in the same seat each Sunday. Most recently, she served as the Executive Director of the Chatham Chamber of Commerce. Her ribbon cutting scissors were always in the back of her car. Mary’s presence was always felt on Main Street; the first thing she did each morning was water the Chamber Booth’s flowers and restock guidebooks.

Mary was the embodiment of grace and joy. She was authentic and had a special knack for making you feel like a lifelong friend after meeting only once.

She is survived by her husband, Martin Cavanaugh; their two daughters, Molly and Emily; her mother, Patricia Grugnale; her brother, Michael Grugnale; brothers-in-law, Kevin Cavanaugh, Tom Cavanaugh and JR Ouellette; sisters-in-law, Maura Ouellette, Catherine Cavanaugh, Kerri Cavanaugh and Donna Grugnale; and nieces and nephews, Ken Ouellette, Mike Ouellette, Chris Ouellette, Adriana Grugnale, Jack Cavanaugh, Ryleigh Cavanaugh, Myles Cavanaugh, Lacey Ouellette, Bre Ouellette, Audrey Ouellette, and Aiden Ouellette. She was preceded in death by her father, Nicholas Grugnale; brother, Joseph Grugnale; father-in-law, Thomas Cavanaugh; and mother-in-law, Muriel Cavanaugh.

Services will be held at St. Christopher’s Church on Thursday, September 21 at 10:30 a.m. 625 Main Street, Chatham, MA 02633. For those unable to attend, services will be streamed at: https://www.stchristopherschatham.org/live-stream-liturgies/

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name, Maryrose G. Cavanaugh, care of Cape Cod 5 – Chatham for the creation of a foundation in her honor. 548 Main Street, Chatham, MA 02633.