Charles Cavanaugh

1920 - 2019

Charles "Chuck" Jerome Cavanaugh, 99, of Idaho Falls, passed away September 16, 2019, at his home.

Charles was born April 7, 1920, in Wallace, ID, to John Cavanaugh and Alice Cyr Cavanaugh. He grew up and attended schools in Wallace, Idaho, and graduated from Wallace High School. At the age of 17, Charles obtained his pilot's license and learned to fly a Travel Air biplane. Charles worked in the Coeur d' Alene mines near Wallace in his teens and twenties.

On July 16, 1941, Charles Cavanaugh married Elizabeth May Adams in Superior, Montana. The couple had one child, Elizabeth (Betty). Charles then served in the U.S. Navy as a radar operator during World War II. While he was serving in the Pacific Theater, Elizabeth filed for divorce. When the war ended, Charles returned to study electrical engineering at Montana State University. On June 8, 1947, he married Frances Ruth Cavanaugh in Bozeman, MT. They had three children, Patrick, Mary, and Kenneth. Charles and Frances made their home in Belgrade, Montana. Later they moved to Billings, Montana, to pursue new employment opportunities. In 1956 the family moved to Idaho Falls, Idaho, where Charles worked for more than 35 years as an Electrical Engineer for various contractors at the National Reactor Testing Station and later the INEL. Charles attended evening classes at the University of Idaho for many years.

Charles was an unforgettable character and a quintessential outdoorsman throughout his life. He was highly skilled at hunting, fishing, huckleberry picking, and rock collecting. He has been the focus of several Outdoor Idaho Programs produced by Idaho Public Television.

Charles is survived by his daughter, Betty (Morgan Hill) Cavanaugh Hill of Hayden, ID; son, Patrick (Carol Hackney) Cavanaugh of Boise, ID; son, Kenneth John Cavanaugh of Boise, ID; 9 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and 5 great-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Frances Ruth Cavanaugh; his parents, John and Alice Cavanaugh; sister, Katherine Cavanaugh Lewis; his daughter, Mary Dell Cavanaugh, and his grandson, Raymond Grof.

Memorial Services will be held in the chapel at Cloverdale Funeral Home in Boise, Idaho, on October 19, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. Following the services, the family will visit with friends from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. at a reception honoring Charles' life at 1998 E. Table Rock Road, Boise, Idaho. Memorials can be made to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation at www.rmef.org or to the Idaho Youth Ranch at www.youthranch.org. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.woodfuneralhome.com.