Quentin Kavanaugh

WATERBURY, Neb. -- Wm. Quentin Kavanaugh, 98, a lifelong resident of Waterbury went to his eternal home Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007, at a family residence.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Ponca, Neb., with the Rev. Joe Dorcey, C.Ss.R, the Rev. David Liewer, the Rev. Vincent Beacom, the Rev. John Beacom, the Rev. Paul Albenesius, the Rev. James Kramper, the Rev. Daniel Wittrock and the Rev. Rod Kneifl officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery at South Creek, rural Ponca. Visitation will be 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday at Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel in Sioux City. Visitation with the family present will resume at 5 p.m. Wednesday, followed by a Knights of Columbus rosary and a Scriptural wake service at 7 p.m., at the church. Condolences may be sent online to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Quentin or "Spider" as he was known, was the youngest of three children born to James and Katherine (Bigley) Kavanaugh, the first son died at birth and his sister, Rosemary Geddes had also preceded him in death. He graduated from Waterbury High School.

He married Helen Catherine "Ella" Beacom on Oct. 20, 1941, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Jackson, Neb. The couple resided on the farm his grandfather Kavanaugh homesteaded near Waterbury. After raising their family, they moved to the land his grandfather Bigley homesteaded closer to Ponca, Neb. The "Bigley Ravine" in Ponca State Park is named after his mother's family. The Bigleys were some of the first settlers in Ponca.

He signed up in World War II, but was told to go home as they needed farmers. Farming was his passion. He loved the land and loved horses. He drove the school bus for Waterbury School, was elected to the school board and elected to the ASCS office in Ponca for several years. He owned the K&B Elevators in Waterbury with Bob Blatchford.

He was considered an "old timer" and could visit with anyone and made friends wherever he went. The "Dirty Thirty's" was history he knew well. He was well liked and highly respected in the community. He was the last in his generation to go home. He saw a lot of changes in his life time. He will always be remembered for his "colorful" vocabulary.

He was a member of St. Paul and St. Joseph Catholic Church his entire life. He was on the parish board and financial committee for St. Paul's at South Creek. He also was a member of the Knights of Columbus.

He is survived by a daughter, Mary Louise Moore of Scottsdale, Ariz., and her daughters, Barbara, Julia and Katherine Moore; a daughter, Catherine Anne Kavanaugh of Scottsdale, Ariz., and her children, Michael Reimann, Regina Fluckiger and her husband, Kellan; a son and his wife, James and Grace of Sioux City and their children, Ann and her husband, Dan Oatman, Will and his wife Lynn, James and his wife, Ann and John and his wife, Dana; a son, Joe who lives on the family farm; a daughter and her husband, Helen and Gene Stout of South Sioux City and their children, Heather and Rusty; a son and his wife, Dan and Michaela of Aurora, Colo., and their children, Jennifer, Brittany and Patrick; and seven great-grandchildren, A.J., Katherine, Ryan, Jacob, Caleb, Kole and Shawn.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Ella; a son, Patrick who was killed in a car accident in 1976; an infant grandson; his parents; a brother in infancy; and a sister.

Pallbearers will be Julia Moore, Michael Reimann, John Kavanaugh, Larry Albenesius, Rusty Stout and Patrick Kavanaugh.

He left a lot of great memories, work ethics, morals, values and stories. He will be missed but never forgotten, until we meet in heaven.