Anna “Louise” Kavanaugh

Louise Kavanaugh was born and raised on a farm near Steinauer, Nebraska.  She was the second oldest of eleven children born to Clarence M. and Anna (Christen) Wenzl.  Louise helped with chores including feeding the animals, milking cows, putting up hay and caring for her younger siblings. 

She started kindergarten when she was four years old at St. Anthony’s Catholic School because her sister Frances did not want to walk the three miles to school by herself.  When Louise arrived at school, she only spoke German and had to learn English along with the other subjects.  The girls alternated between the Catholic School and country school every other year.  Louise graduated from the eighth grade.  She desperately wanted to attend high school, but because her older sister didn’t want to, Louise was not allowed to go.  She went to work for a farm family nearby and helped with the household chores and caring for their children.  She was even godmother to one of the children.  When Louise was 18, she moved to Tecumseh and worked for a time at the hospital as an overnight aide and also worked as a waitress at the Rock Inn.

Louise was united in marriage to Charles Kavanaugh on June 9, 1953 at the St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Steinauer, Nebraska.  She had a double wedding with her sister Dorothy and they were all married on Clarence and Anna’s 25th wedding anniversary.  Charlie and Louise adopted and raised two children, John and Kathleen. 

Louise dearly loved being a mom to her two children.  She met Dr. Clare Campbell, the local dentist and went to work as a dental assistant.  She was completely trained by Dr. Campbell was his secretary and assistant for nearly 40 years until she retired.

She was a lifelong member of the Catholic Church.  After her marriage, she joined St. Andrew’s Catholic in Tecumseh and served on the Altar Society and held different offices throughout her lifetime.  She and Charlie were members of the of the St. Andrew Cemetery Board and spent their summers mowing and caretaking the cemetery for many years.  They were also members of the Home and School Association for St. Andrew Catholic Church and were active with the school.  After her retirement, Louise also helped with the Sunday collections every Monday morning. 

Louise was an avid reader of mysteries and romance novels she borrowed from the library.  She loved gardening and raised a large garden each summer and canned her produce and gave much of it away, especially her tomatoes.  She was an excellent seamstress and sewed many of her daughter’s clothes when Katie was young and sewed bridesmaid dresses at times.  Louise crocheted afghans and blankets as well.  Later in life, she also enjoyed embroidery and quilting and had many quilts displayed at the Johnson County Fair.  Louise also enjoyed putting together 1000-piece puzzles and cooking for her nephews. 

Her son John passed away unexpectedly in 1980 and her husband Charlie died June 12, 1997.  After he passed, Louise got her poodle Buffy, who was her companion for 17 years. She moved to the Tecumseh Manor where she resided until moving for a time to Ridgeview Towers Assisted Living and later to Omaha to be closer to her daughter.  She passed away in Omaha on March 17, 2025 at the age of 96 years. 

Louise is survived by her daughter, Katie (Ed) Kerrigan of Omaha, grandsons John Morrissey (Britton Peterson) of Port Orchard, WA, Steven Morrissey, Jr. (Felicia Monjarez) of Fort Collins, CO and Christian Jensen and fiance’ Alaina Arroyo of Vancouver, WA, great-grandchildren, Jackson Morrissey of Iowa City, IA and Noah and Amara Morrissey of Fort Collins, CO, brothers John (Kathleen) Wenzl and Robert (Ruth) Wenzl of Lincoln and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband Charlie, son John, parents Clarence and Anna, brothers, Jerome, Eugene (Marcia), George and Ronnie Wenzl and sisters Frances (Glen) Wolken, Dorothy (Ralph) Burroughs, Alice Merrifield and Florence Wenzl. 

Mass of Christian Burial Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at the St. Andrew Catholic Church in Tecumseh, Nebraska with Father Christopher Kubat officiating.

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with family greeting friends from 3-5 p.m., Monday, March 24, 2025 at the Wherry Mortuary in Tecumseh, Nebraska.  Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. at the church.

Memorials may go to the St. Andrew Catholic Cemetery or the St. Andrew Catholic School.

Interment will be in the St. Andrew Catholic Cemetery, rural Tecumseh, Nebraska.

Online condolences may be left @ www.wherrymortuary.com.