Patrick Paul Rooney (Pat) – Obituary
Patrick Paul Rooney (Pat), 90, left his earthly home for Heaven in the arms of angels to be with our Lord on September 9, 2020. He was at home with his family present. Pat was born in Renovo, Pennsylvania, on September 5, 1930, and he was raised in Renovo and Cross Fork, Potter County, Pennsylvania. He is survived by his son Rusty, and his daughter Liz.
One of Pat’s most wondrous earthly purposes was being a devoted family man of which he was always without fail loyal, constant, reliable, kind, and selflessly involved with interest and compassion. He enjoyed the earth’s beauty – especially blooming flowers, and the month of October with vibrantly bursting leaf colors commonly seen in the northeast. He admired, cared for and was sensitive to the welfare of birds, deer, pets and other animal life. He was well traveled, culturally sensitive, and bi-lingual in English and Chinese. He was an enthusiast in and had a never ending curiosity for history, science, geography, world culture, electronics, photography, the weather and the national news.
Pat’s other proud accomplishment was his 23 year Army Service commitment in protecting American freedoms and privileges we have in the United States of America. Pat began his Army career with the U.S. Army Signal Corps beginning in 1947. Pat served in Japan, Korea and Vietnam with numerous national and international letters of commendation and award medals. Pat also served seven years as military advisor to the Nationalist Chinese Army and four years in the National Security Communications Group in Europe.
Pat was presented by President Chiang Kai-shek the Kinmen Defense Medal for assisting Chinese guerrilla forces in repelling several Communist attacks on Quemoy and Matsu offshore islands from 1952-1957. Pat is also a recipient of two Bronze Stars and four Army Commendation Medals for his service against hostile force during Vietnam.
After his 23-year Army Service, Pat went on to work an additional 25 years in Foreign Mine Exploitation Programs at the Navy Base in Panama City Beach, Florida. He is acknowledged nationally and internationally as the expert on several foreign mine weapon systems that, among other purposes of his work, allowed service men to detect underwater mines and deactivate them for safe thorough fare and access. Pat received the meritorious service commendation from the Secretary of the Navy for direct support of Fleet operations in the Persian Gulf from July 1987 to December 1988, and he also received numerous superior performance awards and special achievement awards for exemplary performance in support of the Foreign Mine Exploitation Programs as a major contributor to almost every influence minesweeping program conducted at the Navy Support Activity in Panama City Beach Florida.
Pat continued to live most his life in Lynn Haven, Florida, and in his later years he resided in Panama City Beach Florida with his daughter Liz who was his caregiver and coach for seven years helping him as he courageously faced lymphoma treatment and managed Parkinson’s disease. Pat’s lymphoma and Parkinson’s was attributed to agent orange exposure during his Army Service.
Pat is a brilliant man with the courage, resilience, strength, persistence, sacrifice, forgiveness, and simplicity that makes a difference.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date in keeping with the efforts to protect the health and safety of the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Patrick Paul Rooney to local or national programs benefiting Parkinson’s research or Lymphoma research.
Pat is preceded in death by his mother Daisy Bell Summerson-Rooney Bennett (Cross Fork, PA); his father Leo Paul Rooney (Renovo, PA); and brother Michael Rooney (Cross Fork, PA). His surviving siblings include Ann Nesman and Helen Green of Cross Fork, PA; and Eddie Rooney of Biloxi, MS.
“I want you to continue to live and beat this virus. I’ll see you soon.”
