Henry Joseph Rooney Resident of Antioch, CA Rooney, as he was known by most of his friends, passed away peacefully at home on September 24, 2010. He was born in Bayonne, NJ on February 10, 1932 to Thomas and Mary Rooney. He graduated from Saint Mary's in 1951 where he was a star athlete. In 1952, Rooney enlisted in the US Air Force and where he proudly served as a Medic. He was stationed at Camp Stoneman and Parks Air Force Base where he met his future wife, Blanche Graham. They married on September 7, 1953. They made their first home in Pittsburg before moving to Antioch in 1962. He was employed at Stanley Steel Strapping as Shipping and Receiving Mgr. until 1987 when the plant was purchased by Acme. He stayed on with Acme until 1992, when he retired. Rooney was active for many years in Holy Rosary Church. He served as President of the YMI, as chairman of the Holy Rosary Fall Festival and many tournaments to raise funds for charitable causes. Rooney loved sports. He loved playing them, watching them and coaching them. He was a devoted "Silver and Black", "Fighting Irish" and Giants fan. He played a variety of sports on local teams including basketball, softball, lobb ball, bocce ball and golf. He also coached many youth teams in the late 60's and early 70's. A devoted family man, Rooney is survived by his wife of 57 years, Blanche; daughters Pat (Kevin) McGrath and Jennifer (Michael) Waddell; grand-daughter Katie (Mountain Girl) McGrath; and many nieces, nephews, and in-laws. He was pre-deceased by his son, Brian and his brother, Thomas J. Rooney. His kind and generous spirit will be missed by his many friends and family. A gathering to celebrate his life will be held at his home on October 23, 2010 from 1 until 4pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: American Lung Association, 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20004 lungusa.org/donate.
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