Rooney Family Tree

Howard never married. He lived and worked on the same farm in Raymond Township all his life. He was knowledgeable of the family history. He died at age 66 of heart attack while in field harvesting corn.

Obituary, originally published St. Cloud Times, 11 Dec 1982:

ROONEY

PADUA - Funeral services for Howard A. Rooney, 66, rural Brooten, who died Thursday on his farm, will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Padua, with the Rev. Vincent Santo officiating.

Burial will be in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call at the Schad Funeral Home, Sauk Centre, after 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Parish prayers will be at 8 p.m. Sunday. Holy Name Society prayers will be at 8:30 p.m.

Mr. Rooney was born Aug. 13, 1916, in Raymond Township, Stearns County, to the late William and Helena (Reidel) Rooney. He never married. He lived and worked on the same farm in Raymond Township all his life. He was a member of the Holy Name Society, Padua, and St. Anthony's Catholic Church.

Survivors include brothers, Walter, Leo and Leonard, Roonten, and Emmett, Salem, Ore.; sisters, Mrs. Mary Ahles, St. Cloud; Mrs. Agnes Steinhoff, Shelby, Mont., and Mrs. Andrew (Marvel) Majerus, Portland, Ore.

Preceding him in death were his parents and four brothers.

Pallbearers will be Clarence, Dave, Dennis and Danny Rooney, Tim Ahles and Arnold Steinhoff.

(Cross Bearer was Mike Rooney. Honorary pallbearers were Don Moening, Arnold Leverson, Jerome Peters, Wilfred Arens, Richard Rooney, Jerome Ebensteiner, Jim Kenna, and Justin Paulson.

Originally published August 1998, Padua Cemetery, by Ginny Walz Borgerding

Howard Rooney was the son of William and Helena (Riedel) Rooney. He was the tenth child of twelve children. Howard, along with his brother, Leo, lived with their mother and helped with the family farm. Howard and Leo eventually took over the farm in their mother's later years.

Howard and Leo, first raised short horn cattle and sheep. They then went into raising Charolais, and later into raising Simmental cattle. They always worked towards bettering their herd.

Howard was the field man. He did all the planning of the crops. What to plant, where to plant, when they were ready to harvest, and when and where to sell them.

Howard never married, but both he and Leo always had time to listen. They were good mentors for their nieces and nephews. They were always there to help with a problem or to just listen.

After a long day of work, Leo and Howard enjoyed a beer or two and played a game of cards. Solo was the game.

The grave marker, a wooden Cross, was made for him by his nephew David Rooney. Howard died of a heart attack and is buried by his parents on one side and his brother Leo on the other. His brother Edmund, grandparents John and Mary Rooney, great grandmother Catharine Rooney, and many other relatives are buried in Padua.