Dorothy Jean Cavanaugh of Gresham, Oregon, danced into heaven Tuesday morning August 11, 2015, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Dorothy had fought a long battle with dementia and physical illness; but now is completely healed. She was 80 years old.
Dorothy was born Dorothy Jean Ratliff on September 26, 1934, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Buck and Opal Ratliff. She was the oldest of 6 kids: Don, Deanna, Della, Dwayne, and Dan. The Ratliffs moved to Portland, Oregon during WWII.
Dorothy graduated from Roosevelt High School in north Portland in 1953. During her high school years she was a great student, a Rose Festival Princess, and met her future husband, Michael Cavanaugh.
Dorothy married Mike on September 4, 1953. They had 4 children and lived in the Portland metro area. Dorothy worked at Lamb Weston, Tektronix, and in Real Estate with Mike.
Dorothy is survived by her children (Ginny Brown, Mickey Cavanaugh, Jr., Ken and Michelle Cavanaugh, and Elizabeth and Darryl Dan); grandchildren (Cory Gacey, Kari Gacey, Allison and AJ Wheeler, Jeff Cavanaugh, Erika Dan, Eiden and Jeremy Kelley, Eilee Dan , and Eleana Dan); great-grandchild Harlem Dan; and siblings (Don Ratliff, Deanna and Harry Coultas, Della Riggs, Dwayne and Judy Ratliff, and Dan and Linda Ratliff); and many nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, two nephews and a niece.
Dorothy was a long-time member of the Church of the Nazarene in the Beaverton, Portland First, and Hillsboro congregations. She and Mike also attended the Baptist Church in Cornelius, Oregon. Through the years Dorothy taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, lead a Brownie Troop, traveled on a mission trip to Central America, and toured Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.