Lyle Cavanaugh

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Lyle Cavanaugh, 78, of Grasmere, a teacher and devoted mother and grandmother, died yesterday at Sea View Hospital Rehabilitation Center and Home, Sea View.Born Lyle L'Hommedieu in Deep River, Conn., she moved to South Beach in 1956, and a short time later settled in Grasmere.

Mrs. Cavanaugh earned her bachelor of arts degree from Tufts University in Massachusetts and and master's degree in education from Wagner College.

Known to her students as "Ms. Lyle," she worked as a teacher at the Port Richmond Day Nursery for 40 years, retiring in 1998.

Mrs. Cavanaugh enjoyed solving crossword puzzles. Above all, she loved her grandchildren and being around family and friends.

She was also a parishoner of St. Johns Episcopal Church, Rosebank.

Her husband, Lawrence, died in 2003.

Surviving are her two sons, William Paganotti and Lawrence Cavanaugh, Jr.; three daughters, Paula Svenningson, Lisa Scarsella and Barbara Gonzalez, and 11 grandchildren.

There will be a funeral service Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home, Tottenville. Burial will follow in St. Peter's Cemetery, West Brighton.

Services: Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home Wednesday, August 24,2011 10:00AM

Visitation: Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home Tuesday, August 23,2011 2-4 & 7-9PM

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, contributions to The Alzheimer's Assoc. of Staten Island, 789 Post Avenue Staten Island, NY 10310 would be appreciated.

Cemetery: St. Peter's Cemetery

Location: Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home

Church: Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home