Joseph James Cavanaugh, a long time resident of Duluth, MN, passed away of natural causes Thursday, March 30, 2006, at his home in East Moline, Illinois. He was 80 years old. Funeral services will be 10:00 AM Monday at Christ the King Catholic Church, Moline, IL. Committal services will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, East Moline, IL. Van Hoe Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Joseph was born June 20,1925,in Boston, MA, the son of John and Catherine(Padden)Cavanaugh. He served in the Second Armored Division in the European Theater during W.W.II, and was awarded the Croix de Guerre from Belgium. He married Mildred Anderson on November 5, 1949, and moved to Duluth, Minnesota, where he worked as an interior decorator at Friemuth's. He also worked as an interior decorator at Enger & Olsen's, Sherman Long's, and then owned Joseph J. Cavanaugh Interior Design in Duluth. During his years at Friemuth's and Enger and Olsen's, he was also a regular guest on the Dottie Becker show presenting new design trends and explaining interior decoration. He was very active in the Catholic Church in Duluth. He was one of the first lay lectors and extraordinary ministers of communion at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary. He was the first Parish Council president at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in the 1960's, and was the second lay Principal of the Holy Rosary CCD School of Religion in the 60's and 70's. Mr. Cavanaugh also was involved with the boards of Cathedral High School and the College of St. Scholastica. He is survived by his wife Mildred, his brother Paul, and his four children and their families, son Paul and wife Jin and their daughter Jennifer (FL), daughter Mary and husband Gary Ferns (IL), daughter Ann and husband Tony Gramling and their children Bridget and Joseph (IN), and daughter Nora Kainu (MN) and her children Matthew, and Thomas. He will be remembered as a wonderful husband and father, very patient, with a great sense of humor, and a super chef. He had an excellent green-thumb which was not passed on to his children. He knew he should become an interior decorator rather than a career military man after being run over by a tank during W.W.II (the mud was deep, happily enough). He was a fantastic grandfather - always willing to read and try new games with the young children. And as 10 year old grandson Matthew said, Do not say "die," it makes you cry; say "went to heaven." In lieu of flowers, donations made to Christ the King Church, Moline, or to Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, Duluth, would be appreciated. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.vanhoe.com