Walter
Kavanaugh, 72St. Petersburg, FL - Walter H. Kavanaugh, 72, died Tuesday, March 21, 2000 at St. Petersburg, FL.
Immediate family members gathered privately to celebrate his life last week at the St. Petersburg home he shared with his wife, Doris.
Walter Harvie Kavanaugh was born on June 6, 1927 in Thief River Falls, the son of Frederick Mark and Mary Elizabeth (Arnold) Kava-naugh. He was raised and educated in Thief River Falls, graduating from Lincoln High School in 1945.
On July 30, 1945, he entered the U.S. Army, serving in the 41stFinance Section. In 1946, he was stationed in Regensburg, Germany as part of the Army of Occupation at the end of World War II. He was honorably discharged at Fort Sheridan, IL on December 26, 1946.
Following his military service, Walt returned to Thief River Falls to pursue his interest in photography, establishing a photo finishing service and soon after, Kavanaugh Photography Studio. He operated the professional portrait studio in Thief River Falls until 1960.
On November 3, 1949, Walt was united in marriage to Thief River Falls native Doris Ann Johnson at Trinity Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls. The couple made their home in Thief River Falls.
Throughout the 1950s, Walt was active in Jaycees, Lions Club and numerous other Thief River Falls area service organizations.
In 1960, he moved his family to Janesville, WI to pursue other opportunities in professional photography. In 1963, he joined the Hoover Company, launching a new career in sales and sales management for more than 25 years with Hoover throughout the Midwest and Southeast. In 1989, he and Doris retired to San Diego, CA and for the past four years had been living in St. Petersburg, FL.
Walt is survived by his wife, Doris; three sons, Paul Kavanaugh of Colorado Springs, CO, Jon (Sabrina duArte) Kavanaugh of Chicago, IL and Peter (Christine) Kavanaugh of New York City; two sisters, M.E. Johnson of Bloomington and Evelyn (Carl) Nelson of Sacramento, CA; one brother, William (Kitty) Kavanaugh of St. Paul; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Fran Nelson; one brother, Frederick Kavanaugh; and Doris' parents, Ann and Ernest Johnson of Thief River Falls. A00003B2000AP05