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Retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. John P. Cavanaugh, 79, of Severna Park, died of heart failure Nov. 13 at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore after a lengthy illness.

Lt. Cmdr. Cavanaugh was born April 2, 1927, in Manchester, N.H., and reared in Concord, N.H., where he attained the rank of Eagle Scout.

A graduate of the Naval Academy in 1950, he finished flight training in Pensacola, Fla., and was married in 1953 to Anita James in Columbia, S.C.

He attended the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, Calif., receiving a second degree in electronic engineering in 1958.

He flew sea planes from Bermuda during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He also flew B-17s and Super Constellations at the Patuxent River Naval Air Test Center and P-3s at PAX. While stationed in Japan he flew P-3 surveillance aircraft in Vietnam. After retirement in 1971, he moved to Severna Park.

Among his awards were the Air Medal and the Navy Unit Commendation, Armed Forces (Korea) Expeditionary, Vietnam Service, National Defense Service, European Occupation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Navy Commendation and World War II Victory medals.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Clari James Cavanaugh of Crownsville, and a sister, Joan Cavanaugh Smith of East Ryegate, Vt.

Visitation is from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. tomorrow at Barranco and Sons Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Highway. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Martin's-in-the-Field Episcopal Church in Severna Park. Burial will be in the Naval Academy Columbarium.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Earleigh Heights Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 547, Severna Park, MD 21146, or the church, 375 A Benfield Road, Severna Park, MD 21146. Online condolences may be made to www.barrancofuneralhome.com

As published in The Capital Newspaper on 11/16/2006