Maureen Rita Canavan peacefully transitioned to eternal life Thursday, March 7, 2024, encompassed in love and surrounded by her family. She was born January 3, 1935, to Mac and Catherine McDonald in New York, NY, and passed away in her current city of Saint Johns, FL.
Maureen was a homemaker, and a wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend. She was the proud parent of five children, Catherine, Thomas, Mary Anne, William, and Maureen, whom she raised in New York and Florida. When asked what she was most proud of, she said her children, and praised their individuality and independence.
During her life Maureen enjoyed being with her family and friends, attending Mass, and caring for her husband Jim. She and her family enjoyed trips back to their native New York City in recent years, to visit her sister Josephine and her family. Her love of music and dancing highlighted her life. Maureen was a faithful Catholic, and attended San Juan Del Rio prior to her transition.
Maureen was preceded in death by her grandparents The McDonalds and The McGowans, her father Mac McDonald, her mother Catherine McDonald, her brother Edward McDonald, and her sister Josephine Maher, her first husband Thomas Gorman, and her daughter Mary Anne Gorman-Harpas (Steven Harpas). She is survived by her husband James Canavan, her daughters Catherine Kluytenaar and Maureen Vaughn (Ken Vaughn), her sons Thomas Gorman (Dawn Gorman) and William Gorman (Rafael Velasquez), grandchildren Noel Spencer, Zachary Kluytenaar, Francina Edmonds, Thomas Gorman, Clint Vaughn, Haley Gorman, Ashlynn Stone, great grandchildren Perrin Soroosh, Lola Kluytenaar, Dylan Spencer, Ryker Spencer, Cruz Gorman, and Soren Stone.
A private, funeral mass with family will be held Friday, March 15, 2024. Maureen will be interned at Jacksonville National Cemetery at 4083 Lannie Road in Jacksonville, FL 32218. Pallbearers will be Zacharry Kluytenaar, Michael Lynn, Francina Edmonds, and Rafael Velasquez.
Flowers may be directed to Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn at 4801 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207.
Memorial gifts in Maureen's name may be directed to the Alzheimer's Association. Please select “tribute gift” and enter Maureen Canavan’s name in the honoree field at the following link: https://act.alz.org/site/Donation2?df_id=51079&51079.donation=form1&mfc_pref=T&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_campaign=giving_google&s_subsrc=giving_google&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw17qvBhBrEiwA1rU9wyRjildROER37gf6n8P8_X6NKwCNF5HPLHy6TE-eLuvsEVP-qWKbQxoCJVAQAvD_BwE
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