Obituaries

A man of wide interests, Mr. Sayer was known as a lover of all types of music, cinema, opera, theater, art, photography, literature, travel and fine food. He was a founding member of Blues Aid, a charitable group that helps provide for the medical care for ailing blues musicians who are unable to afford health care. He was also an original member of the Emil Verban Memorial Society, a group of always-optimistic Chicago Cubs fans.

His marriage to the former Jane Seyffert ended in divorce.

Survivors include a daughter, Lauren Sayer of Reston, and a sister, Pat Fusco of Mill Valley, Calif.

John P. CavanaughNavy Commander, Engineer

John P. Cavanaugh, 79, a retired Navy lieutenant commander who was a pilot and later became an electrical engineer, died Nov. 13 of congestive heart failure at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore. He was a Severna Park resident.

Cmdr. Cavanaugh was born in Manchester, N.H., and grew up in Concord, N.H. He received a bachelor's degree from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1950, completed flight training in Pensacola, Fla., and graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., in 1958 with a degree in engineering electronics. During the Cuban missile crisis, he flew seaplanes out of Bermuda. He also flew B-17 Flying Fortresses and Super Constellations at the Patuxent River Naval Air Test Center and P-3 Orion surveillance aircraft over Vietnam while stationed in Japan. He retired in 1971 and moved to Severna Park.

He began a second career with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in the tactical electronics warfare division. After Hurricane Agnes in 1972, he was placed in charge of hiring local civil engineers to rebuild bridges and dams destroyed by the storm. He retired again in 1992.

Cmdr. Cavanaugh was a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Association of Old Crows, Fleet Reserve in Annapolis, Naval Alumni Association and American Legion Post 24. In recent years, he volunteered at the Historical Electronics Museum in Linthicum.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Anita J. Cavanaugh of Severna Park; a daughter, Clari James Cavanaugh of Crownsville; and a sister.

Marcella Earle WhiteComputer Operator

Marcella Earle White, 54, who worked at Scan International for more than 30 years as a computer operator and assistant buyer, died of cancer Nov. 4 at her home in Laurel.

She was born Marcella Geraci in Washington and graduated from Montgomery Blair High School.

Mrs. White taught aerobics at several health facilities for many years. She was a member of the Seabrook Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lanham.

Survivors include her husband, Donald White of Laurel; a son, Flint White of Laurel; her mother, Marjoray Geraci of Silver Spring; six sisters, Betty Elwood of Hagerstown, Shirley Martin of Beltsville, Frances Tavenner of Paris, Va., Linda Shaw of Crownsville, Paulette Ireland of Silver Spring and Brenda Phillips of Laurel; and five brothers, Joseph Geraci of Clear Spring, Md., Richard Geraci of Belgrade, Mont., Douglas Geraci of Hagerstown, and Michael Geraci and Thomas Geraci, both of Silver Spring.