She was preceded in death by: her parents, May Philbin Clunk and J. Roy Clunk of Williamsport, PA.; her siblings J. Roy Clunk, Jr. and Mary Roy; her husband Robert F. Cavanaugh; and two daughters, Rosemary and Kathryn Cavanaugh. She is survived by seven children: John Patrick Cavanaugh; Roy (Cynthia) Cavanaugh; Mary Grace (Arthur) Umlauf; Margaret (Larry) Kriegel, Matthew (Julie) Cavanaugh, Christopher (A.J.) Cavanaugh, and Robert Cavanaugh. She will be greatly missed by her 14 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Louise was educated in Catholic schools in Williamsport PA. At age 22, she volunteered for the war effort in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), which was later converted to an active duty status in the US Army as the Women’s Army Corps (WAC). She served at Fort Bragg, NC and was discharged at the rank of Staff Sargent in 1945. In December 1944 she married S/Sgt Robert Cavanaugh in Houston and honeymooned briefly in Galveston before having to return to duty. Both wore their dress uniforms as was customary during the war. At the end of the war, Louise and Robert took up residence in Houston where Robert’s family lived until moving to Austin in 1963.
After all of her children were in school, Louise took a position at the Texas Department of Public Safety. She retired in her 70’s after more than 30 years of service. Even before retirement she was active with the St. Vincent de Paul Society and St. Louis King of France Catholic Church. Although she hated flying she traveled with her children to Florida, California, Colorado, Halifax, Canada and cruised to Alaska and the Caribbean.
Louise was extremely proud of all of her children seeing them become very successful in business, military and academia. With this large family, she always worked to make each one of them feel special. She will also be greatly missed by her 14 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. All would describe her as an angel who cared and loved them all.
Visitation will be held at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home on April 17, 2018 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with a Rosary at 7:00 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Louis King of France Catholic Church on April 18, 2018 at 1:30 p.m. followed by an Interment with Military Honors at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Cemetery, Pflugerville, Texas. Reception for friends and family will follow at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home.
Please visit www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com where you can share memories and leave condolences with her family.
