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07/20/2007: "Nancy Jo Cavenaugh - July 28, 1934 - July 7, 2007"

Nancy Jo Cavenaugh, a lover of the arts, supporter of holistic health and alternative philosophies, and a dedicated San Juan Island volunteer, died July 7, 2007.

Nancy Jo, was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on July 28, 1934, to Leroy J. and Lily (Galbraith) Tynan. She attended Catholic schools, including Derham Hall and the prestigious College of St. Catherine in St. Paul. Nancy Jo married, and had her first son Jeff in St. Paul. The family later moved to San Antonio, Texas, where her second son Jess, was born.

In 1979, Nancy Jo, now a single mother, was living in Hayward, Calif. She worked at 3M Technologies and was the first woman Representative of the company's Western Division. In 1979, as fate would have it, Nancy Jo met her son Jess's shop teacher, Willie Cavenaugh. Soon, Nancy Jo was frequently visiting Friday Harbor, where Willie had property. Before long she was a full-time resident here.



On August 3, 1985, Nancy Jo and Willie were married, outside, at The Oaks. Instead of invitations, they put a big ad in the newspaper and invited everyone and anyone who wished to come. Needless to say. it was a big party with many, many guests.

Nancy Jo was very active in the American Legion and the Women's Auxilary, She walked in many parades and enjoyed the weekly cribbage games there. She was on the Board of Directors of the Mullis Senior Center, and took great care into making sure they had everything they needed for a full functioning and comfortable facility.

She was very interested in alternative medicines, holistic health, and body, mind and spirit integration. These interests led her to start the Windhorse gatherings, which later evolved into The Windhorse, a New Age store on Nichols Street. She often had experts and masters of various philosophies, methods and treatments as guests to inform her customers and also as guests in her home.

Nancy Jo loved and was active in the theatre, she loved flowers and candles and wrote poetry, she also loved helping anyone who was in need. She and Willie had helped support local educational endeavors, such as 4-H, pre-school, dance and art education, the Animal Shelter and children's summer camps.
Nancy Jo was preceded in death by her parents, her brother James Tynan and her sister Alice (Lolly) Gumulinski. She leaves behind her much loved family; husband Willie of Friday Harbor; son and daughter-in-law, Jess and Kim Rathburn of Friday Harbor; son Jeff Rathburn of Friday Harbor; and grandchildren Maxwell, Claire and Harmony.

There will be a Celebration of Nancy Jo's life at 1-3 p.m. July 28 at the American Legion