A funeral mass was celebrated March 31 at St. Paul the Apostle Church for Robert F. Cavanaugh, Sr. He passed away March 26 surrounded by his family at Bayonne Medical Center. Judge Cavanaugh was the husband of Dorothy Lopez Cavanaugh for 59 years. He is also survived by his son, former Jersey City Councilman Robert F. Cavanaugh, Jr. and his wife Suzanne; his daughter Kathleen Corio and her husband Louis; his grandchildren, Samantha Stillwagon-Cavanaugh, Alyssa Corio, Maria Corio, Corinne Cavanaugh, Robert F. Cavanaugh, III, Louis Corio, Jr.; brother Kenneth Cavanaugh and his wife AnnaMarie; sisters-inlaw, Patricia Lopez, Louis Byrnes and her husband Bill; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
Judge Cavanaugh served in the United States Army after graduating from Ferris High School. Following his term in the military, Judge Cavanaugh graduated from Rutgers University to be followed by Brooklyn Law School. He worked as a Public Defender in Hudson County, then went on to his own successful law practice, Aurigemma, Cavanaugh, and LaFianza. He was first appointed to the JC Municipal Court then the Hudson County Superior Court where he retired in 1997. Robert was an active member in the community serving as Grand Knight in the JC Knights of Columbus Greenville Branch. He was a member of the Hudson County Bar Association. He was a past President of the University Club of Hudson County. He was also a Trustee of the JC St. Patrick’s Parade Committee. He was the Grand Marshall of the St. Patty’s Day Parade in 1998. In 2006, he and his wife Dorothy became the Charter Members of the St. Patrick’s Parade Committee Hall of Fame.
The Honorable Robert F. Cavanaugh, Sr. was a member of the Jersey City Community, having lived and worked here all his 81 years. The son of Irish Immigrants, he was predeceased by Timothy Cavanaugh and Sadie McCann Cavanaugh, and his brothers, John, Timothy, James, and Gene, and his sister Mary. The family would also like to acknowledge the outstanding care they all received at Bayonne Medical Center, especially Dr. Peter Wong and his staff, Dr. Lin, Jessica Ramos, RN, Dr. Haque, Dr. Silber, Dr. Karpman, Melissa Condo, RN, the ICU staff, and the Dialysis Unit. Services arranged by the Greenville Memorial Home, Jersey City.