Lillian Frances Kavanaugh

Lillian Frances (Clements) Kavanaugh, 100, our beloved mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on March 26, 2025, at her home, surrounded by loved ones.

She was born at home on the family farm on September 21, 1924, in Morganfield, Union County, Kentucky, daughter of the late Logan Raphael Clements and Viola Mary (Wathen) Clements. She frequently recalled her many fond memories of growing up there with her large family. Upon graduation from St. Vincent's Academy in Waverly, Kentucky, where she attended all 12 years of grade school and high school, she furthered her education and graduated from St. Mary's School of Nursing in Evansville, Indiana, in 1945. For much of the time she was in nursing school, she was a proud member of the U.S. Army Cadet Nurse Corps.

Upon graduation from St. Mary's, she began working as a registered nurse at Morganfield Hospital in Morganfield, KY, for a short time until her marriage. After several children, she continued her nursing career at Henderson Community Methodist Hospital in Henderson, KY, Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, and then Welborn Memorial Baptist Hospital in Evansville, from which she retired in March, 1988, as Assistant Director of Nursing, Medical, Surgical, Geriatrics.

She somehow balanced working full time as a nurse most of her married life while raising seven children with patience and grace. We fondly recall her in her crisp white uniform and freshly starched nurse's cap. We will always remember her with a book in her hands or by her side. She was an avid reader, even as a young girl, and especially loved reading books immersed in history. She was always up on current events and read the newspaper daily. She also loved old movies, Jeopardy, crossword puzzles, eating out with family and old friends, browsing books at the library and Barnes & Noble, watching sports on t.v., sitting outside just watching the cars go by or children playing, going for drives by the Ohio River and through Garvin Park, traveling in her younger years, and visiting her hometown. She was brimming with a long lifetime of memories and loved to reminisce. She was a devout Catholic and member of St. Joseph Catholic Church (All Saints Catholic Parish), had a special devotion to our Blessed Mother, and prayed the rosary faithfully.

In addition to her parents, Lillian was preceded in death by her husband of 41 years, Joe Louis Kavanaugh (1987); son, Mark Noel Kavanaugh (2022); daughter, Alice Elaine Lamping (2022); son, Joseph Louis Kavanaugh (2024); son-in-law, Richard E. Lamping (2023); great-great granddaughter, Kyomi Luster (2022); sister and brother-in-law, Katherine & Harold Toombs; brother and sister-in-law, Gordon and Marietta Clements; sister and brother-in-law, Phyllis and David Bredenkamp; sister, Elizabeth (Betty) Ellis; half-sisters, Anna Florence Head and Mary Angela Clements; half-brothers, John R., James L. and William F. Clements.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory two sons, Richard Kavanaugh and his wife Donna, of Evansville; Roger Kavanaugh and his wife Debra, of Versailles, IN; two daughters, Elizabeth Ann Cheek and her husband Tom, of Louisville, KY, and Janet Kavanaugh of Evansville; daughter-in-law, Beverly Kavanaugh; 11 grandchildren, Lori Kavanaugh, Theresa Best, Shannon Kohl, Sheila Hugo, Michael (Mike) Kavanaugh, Lisa Jernigan, Dr. Jessica Kavanaugh, PMR, Bryan Kavanaugh, John Kavanaugh, Jason Cheek, Nikki Quigley; and numerous great-grandchildren, step great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and step great-great-grandchildren; brother and sister-in-law, Thomas and Margaret Clements, and other relatives, special friends and neighbors.

A special thank you to Connie Gries for her love and compassion shown to our mother and family.

We would also like to express our sincere appreciation and thanks to Deaconess Hospice for their loving care and support, particularly Jan.

We were so blessed to have had her all these years. She will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great and great-great-grandmother, and cherished best friend. She was so precious to us all and will be dearly missed. May she rest in everlasting peace.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday at All Saints Parish- St. Joseph Catholic Church, 600 E. Virginia Street, Evansville, IN, 47711. Friends and family may visit from 9:00 a.m. until service time at the church. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park.

If you wish, memorial contributions may be made to All Saints Parish (St. Joseph Catholic Church), 704 North First Avenue, Evansville, Indiana 47710.

Condolences may be offered at www.AlexanderEastChapel.com.