Herman "Cap" George Cavanaugh, Anpa-O Hoksina (Early Riser Boy), 88, of rural St. Michael, ND left from his home on March 19, 2018 to be with his beloved sweetheart and love of his life MaryAnn. Visitation and Funeral Services will be held at the St. Michaels Catholic Church, St. Michael, ND. Visitation for Cap will be on Sunday, March 25, 2018.   Procession will leave from the City Plaza at 4:30 pm and viewing from 5 pm until 10 pm with a Rosary and Scripture services at 8:00 pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 am on Monday, March 26, 2018 with final visitation and viewing beginning at 7:00 am. Burial will be held in the spring in the St. Michael Cemetery. Fr. Charles Luete, Celebrant and Fr. Paul Schuster, Con-Celebrant. Honorary Pallbearers will be Wayne Trottier, Fr. Paul Ruge, his Godchildren, his many family and friends who he worked with and admired over the years, all Bus Drivers & his parish family. Serving as his Active Pall bears will be Alexander Cavanaugh, Brian Cavanaugh, Colbert Gannon, Darrick Reese, Johnny Gaking and Troy Lovejoy.

Cap left from his home in St. Michael on March 19, 2018 to be with his beloved sweetheart and love of his life MaryAnn. He began his earthly journey born on February 8, 1930 in Ft. Totten, ND to Clarence and Mabel DanceEagle-Cavanaugh. Growing up in St. Michael's area with his brothers Ben, Billy, and Bobby; sisters Rosalie, Amelia, Edna, Ida and Marie. He attended school at the Eastside Day School and Ft. Totten Indian School. He began working at the age of 11 with his father and local farmers. During these years he, along with his family and brother Ben, enjoyed hosting the annual Powwow and Rodeos each year. He was a bareback bronc rider and his brother was a saddle bronc rider. They provided the stock for the rodeos and their family fed a beef each year to all those attending. He continued working with Robert Wood who farmed near St. Michael for over 18 years. He was inducted into the United States Army in December 1951 and served during the Korean War until he was honorably discharge with the rank of Corporal in August 1953 and he continued for 8 years to serve in the Army reserve. Cap's leadership and dedication earned him the Korean Service Medal/with 3 bronze stars, the United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Good Conduct Medal.

On returning from the Service he began his own dreams and goals in life.   On August 30, 1951 he married his dearest love and teenage sweetheart MaryAnn Greene at the St. Michael Catholic Church where they would both serve as dedicated parishioners for over 50 years. They remained married for 66 years until MaryAnn's passing on January 20, 2017. They began their lives together working hard farming, ranching and raising cattle of their own. Cap built his own home and numerous buildings for his family where he lived for 64 + years until his passing.

In 1963 he began his career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a bus driver, mechanic, maintenance technician and as overall supervisor of the reservation school transportation system until his retirement in 1987. This was a great adventure daily for Cap transporting children to school and being known for giving each student their own nickname. To this day many children, who are now elderly, too, still remember the name Cap gave them on the Bus.

After his retirement Cap and MaryAnn bought and opened their business Cap's South Shore, located near the entrance of the current Spirit Lake Casino. Their full service station, café/catering, bait shop, and convenience store was one of the first businesses in the Lake Region to be taken, after 10 years, by the rising waters of Devils Lake. He then moved the automotive business to his home and ran it there for many years.   His hard work ethic kept him working for many more years in construction, on tribal projects and for the Tribe until his second retirement in 2010 at the age of 80.

Working with community, church and the tribe was very important to both Cap and MaryAnn. Even with all his time spent working, he still gave of himself and his heart, stressing the importance of attending mass on a regular basis. Cap was dedicated to his church family fellowship for over 30 years by making sure coffee, cookies or rolls were always available after mass. He was also elected to the Devils Lake Sioux Tribal Council representing Mission District. While on Council he was an instrumental part of the development and opening of Brunswick Corporation now known as Sioux Manufacturing and served on its board of directors. He served on the Dakota Tribal Industries board of directors and on the Spirit Lake Housing Board for many years. Cap also served on the St. Michael's church parish council with oversight of the cemetery being his responsibility for many years.   He was a member of the Lake Preservation Coalition in Devils Lake and various other boards/committees of the Lake Region Area and Tribe. He was a member of the planning board that built the Solid Waste Transfer Site and a $6 million Solid Waste Program developed for the Tribes management.

Cap's final years were spent enjoying his gardening and sharing his harvest every year with family, neighbors and community members. He continued his lifelong enjoyment of hunting with his friends, his son and grandsons, fishing, working on his lake property yearly with his brother-in-law, Dan Greene and brother, Bill making peace pipes was his greatest pride. He liked the challenge of growing his trees from seed each year. His grandchildren and great grandchildren were his joy and loved family events that brought everyone together to eat and have fun. He was known by many as making life fun, making jokes, teasing and having fun making people laugh and enjoy each other's company. He enjoyed visiting his nieces and nephews from all over the United States who in turn respected and loved him dearly.

His inspirational legacy will live on through the love he gave us. His work ethics, his strong belief and advocacy in the importance of education for his family and grandchildren, importance of good leadership, helping others and the community, dedication to prayer to the Sacred Heart, many of the saints, saying the rosary, daily prayer for others, and his love for his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will live on through those left behind.

Cap leaves his family to continue on in his stead; daughters Peggy (Earl Bullhead) of St. Michael, Kelly Rietz ( Eric) of Warwick, ND and son Roderick Cavanaugh (Michelle) of Sheyenne, ND; 11 grandchildren, Inila, Amorette, Leland and Kateri Bullhead, Loretta Dubois, Moriah Rademacher (Justin), Krystal Caldwell, Lilisa Reese (Darrick) and Colby Gannon (Haley).  Alex Cavanaugh (Katie) and Brian Cavanaugh (Carmen). Blessing him also were his 22 great grandchildren and 3 takoza ahtayapi (great-great grandchildren). Also surviving are Cap's brother: William J. (Debra) Cavanaugh, St. Michael; loving sisters: Edna McCaslin, St. Michael, Ida Cavanaugh, Tacoma Washington, and hankasi Darlene Wadsworth, St. Michael. Many nieces, nephews and Cavanaugh extended family & relatives.

Cap is joining his family preceding him; his wife MaryAnn, daughter Noreen, son Scott, Brothers Ben, Robert & Jacky Cavanaugh, sisters Rosalie Baer, Amelia Richotte, Marie Gaking, Evelyn and Doris Cavanaugh. His parents Clarence and Mable DanceEagle-Cavanaugh. Paternal grandparents George & Gertrude Lohnes-Cavanaugh, Maternal grandparents Felix & Rosalie Longie-DanceEagle.

His family thanks everyone who shared and was a part of our father's life.