Susan Marie Cavanaugh

Susan was born on October 25, 1944, to Francis J. Baer and Ella Marie (Moore) in Detroit, MI. She graduated from Garden City High School, Garden City, MI in 1962. She attended Henry Ford Community College pursuing a degree in business.

She married Jim Webb on June 27, 1964. They raised their two children Timothy (Laura) and Christine (Jim) in the Livonia area before moving to Ohio and then on to Ft Wayne, Indiana. Jim was a manager for the Kmart Corporation and his job involved frequent moves. Susan was an expert at packing, unpacking and successfully integrating the family into their new community and school systems, quickly turning new acquaintances into lifelong friends. Jim passed in 1993 after a courageous battle with cancer.

Susan remained in Ft Wayne where her friends provided the love and support that enabled her to find purpose, stability, and eventually opportunities to try new things. Among those new adventures with her friends was line dancing. She enjoyed it so much.

It was at one of these community events that she met and became acquainted with Paul Cavanaugh. They were married on January 1, 1996. Susan then added Paul’s children, Craig and Heather to her family.

They enjoyed golf, line dancing and being together, traveling often to Colorado to visit Tim, Laura and grandchildren Sam, Zander and Kai, as well as to Florida to visit Chris, Jim, and grandchildren Jonah, Joel, Chelsea, and Josh. Sadly, Paul passed on August 25, 2012 from complications of Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease.

Then in February, 2013, Susan’s daughter Christine passed as a result of aggressive breast cancer. In 2019, Susan moved to St Augustine, FL to be closer to her grandchildren. She enjoyed participating in their lives and watching them grow. She again quickly made wonderful friends that she valued. Susan brought joy and laughter to all who knew her. Her love of plants and yard art is legendary. She was much loved and will be greatly missed.

Susan is survived by her sister Sally (Wayne) Newstead, her brother Michael (Terry) Baer, her son Tim (Laura) and many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews, all of whom loved their Aunt Sue. In addition to her parents, Jim, Paul and her daughter Christine, she is proceeded in death by her niece Sara Leann Baer in 1997.

Memorial services will be held on Sunday, January 19, 2025 at the Elks Lodge #829 at 1420 A1A S, St. Augustine, FL 32080 from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm.

Donations in Susan’s memory can be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and/or Susan G. Komen in support of breast cancer research.