Mary Westfall Froley Cavin

Mary Westfall Froley Cavin, age 78, of North Little Rock, passed away Monday, February 13 surrounded by her loving family as they prayed the Rosary. She was born on July 12, 1938 in Little Rock to the late Jimmie and Stella Froley. Mary was a devout Catholic and lifelong member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in North Little Rock and Catholic Daughters of America. Her Christian character was a true testament of her life. She served her faith humbly and never asked for anything in return. Mary never wanted anyone to know of her generosity and tended to stay anonymous in her giving. Mary was very proud of her Southern and Irish heritage. Her family originally settled in Arkansas in the 18th century. After graduating from Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock, Mary began her working career as a Medical Technician at the Mo-Pac Hospital in Little Rock. She went on to gain two Masters Degrees with honors and was a member of the New York Academy of Science and would go on to work for the Veterans Administration Hospital. She served her community as a microbiologist, doing very early AIDS research, developing diabetes programs, computer programming and systems analysis, and even ancillary testing. She was the Assistant Chief of Prosthetics Division at the time of her retirement from the VA Hospital. Mary will be remembered by her family as a woman with a brilliant mind whose devotion to her faith and family and others was paramount. Mary Cavin never put herself second. Mary Cavin always put herself last…even until her last breath. She was preceded in death by an infant brother; son, Sean Patrick Cavin; cousins: Jean Ann Jones, Wright Vermilya, and dear friend Mary Lou Jaworski. Mary is survived by her children: Earnest Metcalfe Cavin, Jr. (Shanela), of Mt. Vernon; Catherine Westfall Cavin McKinley (Don), of Little Rock; and Jimmie Cavin (Linda), of North Little Rock; grandchildren: Jeremy McKinley (Meredith); Erin Cavin Schudar (Tommy); Tara Westfall Edmondson (Eric); Patrick Cavin (Courtney); Catherine Lindsey McKinley; Brian Froley Cavin (Chantal); John Cavin; James Cavin; Forrest Lee Cavin; Anna Elizabeth Cavin; and Mary Margaret Cavin. She is also survived by 16 great-grandchildren and dearly beloved cousins: Anne Wells, Luther Roberts, Jane Chapman, Teddy Tubbs, Freddy Tubbs, and Grant Tubbs; closest friends: Mary Kaye Kippenberger and Mary Parrish, and a dear friend she considered her "other son", Casper Nehus. A funeral Mass will be held at 1 p.m., on Friday, February 17 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 211 W 19th St, North Little Rock, Ark. 72114 with burial to follow at Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock. Visitation will be at 6 p.m. on Thursday, February 16 at Roller-Owens Funeral Home, 5509 John F. Kennedy Blvd., (501-955-5547) followed by a Rosary at 7 p.m. The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to the 9th floor staff at Baptist Health- Little Rock for their compassionate and loving care of our mother. We ask for prayers for the repose of her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed. In lieu of flowers, memorials in honor of Mary can be sent to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn.N 38105 or to Mount St. Mary Academy, 3224 Kavanaugh Blvd, Little Rock, Ark. 72205. Online guestbook: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/owens.