Douglas Matthew Cavanaugh

Surrounded by his loving family, Douglas Matthew Cavanaugh, 81, died peacefully on January 9, 2026, at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital in Sydney, Nova Scotia. He was a man whose strength, kindness, and quiet wisdom touched the lives of all who knew him.

Doug (as he was most often known as), would want to be remembered as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend. Those of us who were blessed to be loved by him will miss him deeply. He is survived by his beloved wife and best friend of 60 years, Jeanie, whom he adored. His children, whom he was so proud of, from oldest to youngest are Brian (Christina), Linda, Karen, Dan (Colleen), and Candace (Brad). He also leaves behind his greatest blessings, which are his grandchildren and great grandchildren. His sixteen grandchildren—Trystan (Sam), Shayne, Isaac, Aaron, Jacob (Sidney), Nathan (Eleri), Bryce, Britany (Chris), Harrison, Owen, Matthew (Courtney), Ryan, Emma (Travis), Sarah, Abby (Brayden), Sophia, and Jacksen. His great grandchildren—Lyla Rose, Cohen, Veronica, Braxton, Atlas, and Ophelia.

Doug also leaves behind his siblings Mary Boudreau, Tim Kavanaugh (Joanne), Linda DiPersio (Merino), Wilhemina Healy (Chipper), Calvin Kavanaugh (Debbie) and Casilda Gallagher. He also leaves behind his sister-in-law, Ruth Russell, and brother-in-law, Peter Russell (Vicki). He leaves behind a multitude of nieces and nephews.

Doug was born on March 3, 1944, and raised in North Sydney, Nova Scotia. He began working at CN—now Marine Atlantic—while still in Grade 8. In 1967, he moved to Ontario to find work to support his family, returning home in 1973 to work at Marine Railway as a ships carpenter. He later dedicated himself to his own business, D. Cavanaugh Insulating and Marine Services Ltd. His work focused mainly on Marine Atlantic vessels. Doug retired in 2020. Those fortunate enough to work with him knew him for his integrity, strong work ethic, and unwavering commitment. Many were fortunate to call him a lifelong friend.

Doug was an active member of the North Sydney Kinsmen, proudly serving as president for a term. He was also a member of the yacht club and an honorary fireman. A lifelong Toronto Maple Leafs fan, he never missed a chance to boast about the nine Stanley Cups won during his lifetime.

Beyond his accomplishments, Doug will be remembered for his kindness, quiet humor, and generosity. In his free time, he enjoyed boating on the Bras d’Or Lakes with cherished friends and his first mate, Jeanie by his side. He loved tinkering in “the building”. He was an exceptional carpenter and a natural problem solver. The saying around the house was, “if Poppy can’t fix it, no one can”.

Doug will be deeply missed by his longtime friend, Jerry Lemoine—his best friend and coffee buddy, with whom he shared a love of boating, helping each other with boating mechanics, and buying lotto tickets. He will also be fondly remembered by Kevin Campbell, like a son to Doug, who was always there when extra hands were needed. He will also be greatly missed by Garrett White, who was like a grandson to Doug. And finally, he will be sadly missed by his brother, Calvin, who supported Doug throughout his retirement years, organizing his shops and always being on call whenever Doug needed assistance.

Douglas was predeceased by cherished family members: his parents, William Douglas Kavanaugh and Mary Catherine Whitty, his mother and father in law, John and Louise Russell, his siblings from a young age, Brian Elonzo and Casilda Emma, his brother in laws, Venard Boudreau and Danny Russell, his sister in law, Peggy Kavanaugh, his nephews, Derick Dipersio, Andrew Whitty Kavanaugh and Matt Currie. His heart felt sadness with each of these losses; it was the recent passing of his grandson Jarryd that left him with a broken heart that he didn’t recover from.

A service celebrating Doug’s life will be held on January 24th at Saint Joseph’s Catholic church in North Sydney at 11:00am. Family and friends are invited to gather in celebration of his life. Donations in his memory can be made to the SPCA or charity of your choice.

A special thanks to the VON, especially Kim Bailey, who shared a special bond with Douglas and cared for him with love and compassion. We also want to thank the wonderful staff at the Cape Breton Regional Palliative Care Unit, particularly Shane, Tammy, Micayla and Renee who made his final days comfortable. And to the many friends and family who shared their love and support, we can’t thank you enough. A special thank you to his niece Cathy Boudreau, who went above and beyond in her support of our family.

Psalm 4:8 – “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”