Joyce Arlene Cavanaugh

Joyce Arlene Cavanaugh, 92, of Charles City passed away peacefully on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024 at New Hampton Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 20, 2024 at Holy Family Parish in New Hampton with Rev. Mark Osterhaus celebrating the mass. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in New Hampton with Kyle Cavanaugh, Christopher Gardner, Michael Gardner, David Schmitz, Frank Ashley, and Ben Freidhof serving as pallbearers. Jerry Zenk, Dean Grober, Earl Nolt, and John Oberholtzer will be serving as honorary pallbearers.

Friends may greet the family from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024 at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton. Visitation continues an hour prior to the Mass on Friday at the church.

Hugeback – Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory has been entrusted with arrangements.

A new light blessed the earth on Dec. 29, 1931, with the birth of Joyce Arlene Pennington to Audrey and Dewey Pennington of rural Charles City, IA. There she joined her older brother Gordon and grew up on a diverse family farm, helping with all aspects of gardening, caring for livestock, and developed an early love of learning and animals. She passed away Sept. 13, 2024 at the New Hampton (IA) Rehabilitation and Care Center.

Joyce graduated from Charles City High School in 1948, and promptly enrolled in the Iowa Teachers College in Cedar Falls. Three semesters later she was teaching in Colwell, IA, in 1951; later in Floyd schools, finishing at Jefferson School in Charles City after a 47-year career. She received her BA degree in 1958.

She met her true love, James Cavanaugh, during her senior year of high school and they wed in 1949. They were blessed with two children, Candice and David, who grew up on the family farm, which David still farms. A teacher, farm wife, mother, and avid gardener, she worked very hard. A phenomenal cook, everyone marveled at how she could come home from school and whip up a great dinner in what seemed like a half hour. It probably took a little longer, and a lot of planning.

She and Jim enjoyed nature, fishing trips, and travel to visit family and friends. A lifelong avid reader, she was an important mentor to her four grandchildren while they were growing up, as well as to hundreds of children over her 47-year teaching career.

A devout Christian, she was incredibly patient, kind, compassionate, generous, hospitable and helpful to others. She loved pets, adopted many cats, and rescued the injured or abandoned. She served as a model of high ethical standards, and service to family and community.

Joyce is survived by son David (Lois) Cavanaugh of Ionia, IA; daughter Candice (Mark) Gardner of Polk City, IA; granddaughter Lori (David) Schmitz of Ames, IA; and grandsons Kyle (Torrey) Cavanaugh of Crown Point, IN; Christopher (Mallory) Gardner of Peru, IA; Michael (Haley) Gardner of Madrid, IA, and six great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, James Cavanaugh, her brother Gordon Pennington and his wife Jackie, and her parents, Audrey and Dewey Pennington.

The family thanks the nursing staff of New Hampton’s Rehabilitation and Care Center for her tender and gentle care over the past 3 years, and that of St. Croix Hospice in her final days. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions in her name to the ASPCA, St. Jude, St. Joseph Church of New Hampton, a local humane society or a charity of your choosing.