Douglas County’s longtime clerk has died after a battle with cancer.
Tom Cavanaugh died Friday morning. He was 63. Cavanaugh was diagnosed with lung cancer earlier this year.
He’d served as Douglas County Clerk since 1986. In June, Cavanaugh issued Douglas County’s first same-sex marriage license following a Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage.
Cavanaugh’s family has served in federal, state, and local offices for many years. His brother, Jim, is a current County Commissioner. Their father was a longtime member of the Douglas County Board.
Tom Cavanaugh is survived by two daughters.
Statement from Douglas County on the death of Tom Cavanaugh:
"Douglas County Clerk/Comptroller Thomas F. Cavanaugh passed away today. He was 63.
Mr. Cavanaugh has served as Douglas County Clerk/Comptroller since 1986, and his stated commitment to the citizens he served was “We Work For You”.
He is survived by his two beloved daughters, Maeve, 15, and Grace, 10. He enjoyed horseback riding with them at his sister’s ranch in Mullen, Nebraska.
During his long and distinguished career as a public servant, Mr. Cavanaugh was acknowledged as a national leader in county government modernization and reform. Among the many rewards he received over the years were the Public Service Excellence Award for Professional Service, Excellence and Dedication from the American Society for Public Administration, the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association every year since 2003, and the Award for Outstanding Achievement for Popular Financial Reporting, also from the GFOA.
The son of John J. ‘Jack’ Cavanaugh and Kathleen Munnelly Cavanaugh, Mr. Cavanaugh hailed from a long line of Nebraska public servants. His father was a legendary, long-time Douglas County Commissioner and his uncles and brothers have all served in elective office on the local, state or federal levels.
As Douglas County Clerk/Comptroller, Mr. Cavanaugh oversaw the consolidation of services for car licensing from three steps to one step, the establishment of a centralized internal auditor and issued the first same sex marriage license in Douglas County.
State Senator John McCollister observed, “Tom was the best public servant we had. He ran the most honest, transparent office in Douglas County. Although we hail from different political parties, I have always held him the highest regard. He will be sorely missed, but his legacy lives on.”
Over his 30-year career, Mr. Cavanaugh compiled an impressive election record as “your efficient County Clerk” and was regularly the top vote getter in Douglas County.
Although a lifelong Democrat, Mr. Cavanaugh always maintained that there was no Democratic or Republican way to be a good county office holder, only an honest and effective way to do the job."