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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of  Robert J. 
4"Bob" Rooney of Western Springs; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Bob Rooney was born on March 21, 1931, the first 
6day of spring, and passed away on September 17, 2015; and
  
 
7    WHEREAS, Bob Rooney faced one of the toughest challenges of 
8his life more than 30 years ago with the passing of Joan 
9O'Brien Rooney, with whom he had been married for 25 years and 
10with whom he was bringing up 7 loving children; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, Bob Rooney found strength in his faith and 
12continued to raise his children, but he would not be alone; he 
13and his family were found by Muriel McAuliffe Rooney, who would 
14be his wife for 30 years; more children joined this loving 
15household at this time; and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, As his career moved onward, Bob Rooney became a 
17leading member of the lay support team that buttresses the work 
18of Misericordia Heart of Mercy, the Chicago-based home and 
19nonprofit service center for persons with developmental 
20disabilities; and
  
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS, For Bob Rooney, the words "faith" and "service" 
2were intertwined; he was a reader at Mass and a Eucharistic 
3Minister of his parish; and
  
 
4    WHEREAS, Bob Rooney was a defender of his country during 
5the height of the Cold War, having served in the United States 
6Air Force; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Bob Rooney is survived by his wife, Muriel, who 
8knows him as the proud father of 11 children, the loving 
9grandfather of 34 grandchildren, and the indulgent 
10great-grandfather of 3; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, Bob Rooney will be fondly remembered by his 
12friends and family as a man who was able to be both tough and 
13kindly at the same time; therefore, be it
  
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
15NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
16mark with sadness the death of a true gentleman, a believer and 
17practitioner of Christian service, and a man of courage, Robert 
18J. "Bob" Rooney; and be it further
  
 
19    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
20presented to his widow, Muriel McAuliffe
Rooney, as a mark of 
21respect by the Illinois House of Representatives to the Rooney 
 
 
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1family.