Sister Doris Cavanaugh PBVM

1928 - 2015

Sister Doris Cavanaugh, PBVM

(religious name Sister Mary Concepta) entered eternal life on February 23, 2015, at the Presentation Motherhouse in San Francisco. A native of Los Angeles, California, Sister Doris was born in 1928, and was a Sister of the Presentation for seventy years. Sister Doris leaves her sister Margaret Gaines (Dave), her brothers Charles and John, her sister-in-law, Jackie (Ralph), and many nieces, nephews and their families, as well as her loving Presentation Sisters. Sister Doris was the daughter of Grace Carpenter and George Cavanaugh. She was predeceased by her brother Ralph.
Sister Doris earned a B.S. in Education from the University of San Francisco and a Masters in Counseling and Guidance Education at the University of New Mexico.
Beginning in 1947, for twenty-three years, she served in teaching and administrative positions in Catholic elementary schools in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Pedro, and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
In 1970 and 1976, Sister Doris was elected to Congregational leadership as a Councilor. She also served as Formation Director. In 1976, she also became the administrator of Presentation Retreat Center, Los Gatos. While administrator of the Center, Sister Doris nurtured its growth as a retreat center and lived through the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 and guided the rebuilding that followed.
In 1997, Sister Doris began seven years as a Pastoral Associate at Sacred Heart Parish in Saratoga.
Since 2008, Sister Doris has lived at the Motherhouse Care Center and has been engaged in the ministry of prayer.
Visitation will be held starting at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 26, 2015, at the Presentation Motherhouse, 2340 Turk Boulevard, San Francisco. A vigil service will be held that evening at 7:00 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, February 27, also at the Presentation Motherhouse, followed by interment at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma.
Memorial contributions to the Sisters of the Presentation are preferred. Contributions can be sent to Sisters of the Presentation, Development Office, 281 Masonic Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94118.