3
trees
planted in memory of Margaret Mary Rooney
Obituary for Margaret Mary Rooney
In loving memory of Margaret Mary Rooney (nee McWeeney)
Margaret Mary Rooney went home to our Lord at the age of 90 on May 20, 2024. She was born on April 1, 1934 (Easter Sunday) in County Leitrim, Ireland, to James Francis and Catherine Veronica (nee Guckian) McWeeney. Margaret was raised on a farm, and there was no project she wouldn’t tackle, which set the foundation for a strong work ethic. She grew up during a time when there was no electricity and indoor plumbing in Ireland and walked a mile barefoot to school daily with her two younger siblings. Her parents, who had lived in America for 20 years before returning to Ireland to marry and raise a family, knew America had much to offer their oldest daughter. Although she had no desire to leave her beloved country, Margaret boarded the SS Franconia in March of 1954. Along with a small bag, she took with her a shamrock, which she wore at sea while crossing the Atlantic on St. Patrick’s Day. The journey was difficult, and once she arrived in Manhattan, she went right to work as a nanny on Park Avenue, cleaned apartments, and waitressed at Schrafft’s, which began her love for coffee ice cream.
On October 24, 1964, Margaret married John T. Rooney at the Church of the Holy Innocence in Brooklyn, NY, and raised three sons. Eventually, they moved their family to the Bronx before buying a house in Middletown, New York in 1974. Living “in the country” meant she had to learn how to drive at 40 in order to make the long commute to work. For more than 30 years, Margaret worked the night shift at New York Telephone Company and, after her retirement, volunteered for many years at Mount Carmel Church in Middletown and did everything from cleaning the church to washing the alter linens and priest’s vestments. She also enjoyed spending time at The Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and attending adoration at St. Joseph’s Church, which led her to become a Third Order Lay Carmelite.
Margaret, with her thick brogue and funny Irish expressions, was a woman who spoke her mind. She didn't sweat the small stuff and often said, "Don't bother your head." Margaret never laid the "Irish guilt" nor nagged her children. Instead, she instilled in her three boys a resilient spirit and would tell them to "take the bull by the horns" when life got tough. She was a physically strong woman who was a problem solver, like when she built a wall behind her house to prevent future flooding.
For Margaret, tea time was all the time. She found joy in making rosary beads by the hundreds that were shipped to India, word search puzzles, and praying for anyone who needed it. She enjoyed spending time with her family and got a kick out of her grandchildren.
In the last three years, Margaret moved to Joliet, Illinois, to live with her oldest son, Tom, and his wife Sarah, and their family. Two and a half of those years, she received in-home hospice care, and it was there in the comfort of their home that she passed peacefully. Margaret was a devout Catholic who always said the Blessed Mother would take care of her during life’s challenges. So, it was fitting she died on the feast of Mary, Mother of the Church.
She is predeceased by her husband John T. Rooney and survived by her sons Thomas Rooney (Sarah), James Rooney (Donna), and John Rooney (Carine), plus her six grandchildren Ryan, Lea, Katie, Sophie, Anne, and Owen.
Margaret also leaves behind her devoted sister Rita McWeeney of Carrick-on- Shannon, who she spoke with weekly and together shared many travel adventures — Lourdes, and Medjugorje were among her favorite destinations. She is also survived by her brother James McWeeney and sister-in-law Eileen, and many nieces and nephews who all reside in Ireland.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 2nd, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Applebee- McPhillips Funeral Home, 130 Highland Ave., Middletown, NY 10940. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, June 3rd at 10 a.m. at Our Lady Of Mount Carmel Church, 90 Euclid Ave., Middletown, NY.
Burial will follow at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Putnam Valley, N.Y.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home, Inc.; www.applebee- mcphillips.com or 845-343-6309.
The family is deeply grateful for your love and support and kindly requests that in lieu of flowers, any contributions be made to The National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Middletown, NY https://www.ourladyofmtcarmelshrine.com or Rosary Hill Home in Hawthorne, NY https://www.rosaryhillhome.org/ contact.html.
To plant a tree in memory of Margaret Mary Rooney, visit the Tribute Store.
Previous Events
Visitation
Sunday
2
Jun
4:00 PM
- 6:00 PM
Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home
130 Highland Ave.
Middletown, NY 10940
Service
Monday
3
Jun
10:00 AM
- 11:00 AM
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church
90 Euclid Avenue
Middletown, NY 10940
Loading...