EULOGY for BERNARD ROONEY
16th March 1936 - 20th August 2024
Thank you all for gathering today for the funeral of Bernard Rooney. Bernard was born at Crumpsall Hospital in 1936 to his father (also) Bernard and his mother Mary Rooney (originally Mary Rothwell). Life as a WW2 child was tough but it made him strong and resilient. His father served in the war. His homecoming should have been the happiest time of his life. However, tragedy struck in 1946. Whilst all three were on a cycle ride to Daisy Nook his mother was killed by a van on Lightbowne Road. This led to a terrible void for the rest of his life. His father looked after him manfully whilst working at ICI, Blackley. However, his father’s culinary skills were less than perfect. My father has often recounted the story of his refusal to eat a plate of chips, his dad’s response was “get it ate”, eventually changing to “don’t eat any more of these” after realising it was not vinegar that garnished his chips but paraffin!!
After leaving school dad became a time-served bricklayer. At 17 years old he met my mother, Audrey, at Broadway Baths, not swimming but dancing over the boarded up pool, which was how things were in those days.
They married in 1957, Jacqueline was born in 1958 and myself in 1959, Their first flat was above Johnson’s the Cleaners in Rochdale Road then moving to a rented property in Pym Street. My father was called up for National Service serving between 1957 to 1959. They managed to save a deposit for a mortgage on a house on Moston Lane in 1962 which is still our family home. However he was unable to earn money as a bricklayer in the bad winter of 1963 due to frozen ground for months on end so he tried his hand as a door-to-door vacuum salesman. Sales were slow. Instead he worked the winter with Ernie Tosh, “that mate of mine”, bagging up and delivering coal on his shoulders.
Our childhood experiences were a joy, no foreign holidays but visits to Cornwall, Torquay, Tenby which were all preceded by the annual event, a week long T-Cutting, polishing, chrome cleaning of his beloved car, he loved cars up to his final days.
My sister, Jacqueline, remembers queuing with him for hours on end in the pouring rain so she could buy her Donny Osmond tickets.
He retired in approximately 2001 and was forever helping family, particularly me with home renovations.
The last six months of his life were difficult with his failing health, in the face of this he remained strong, determined and never complained.
My dad will be remembered for his truly unconditional love of all his family, this love has made the family unit what it is, a family of love.
Today he is being reunited with his dear mother who he has missed so much.
Try not to be sad but be grateful for the joy and love he brought into our lives.
Rest in peace DAD.
Graham Rooney and Jacqueline Lydiate (Rooney
12th September 2024
