OBITUARY
Funeral services for Stephen John Rooney, 45, of Portales, will be held at 10:00 AM, Thurs., Dec. 22, 2016 at the Third and Kilgore Church of Christ with Pastor Don Thomas officiating. Burial will follow in the Mount Zion Cemetery with Tom Browne, Ray Browne, Duffy Moon, Doc Elder, Kevin Robbins and Lynn Vohs serving as pallbearers. All of his family and the community that he loved so much will be honorary pallbearers. Those desiring to make memorial contributions may make them to the American Cancer Society, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), or any animal rescue organization, the Hartley House, or to a Memorial Scholarship being established in his memory through the ENMU Foundation for students in broadcasting.
Stephen John Rooney was born Sept. 30, 1971 in Cork, Ireland to the home of Frances Rose (Browne) and James Patrick Rooney and died early Sunday morning, Dec. 18, 2016 near his home in Portales. The family came to San Diego, CA when he was 15 years old. Steve worked hard to drop his Irish accent, as he wanted to be a radio broadcaster. He graduated from San Diego High School in 1989 and went on to study at San Diego State University. He graduated in 1994, having earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Management. On Mar. 30, 1996 in Ramona, CA, he was married to Julie Ann Raisbeck. They made their home in San Diego until 1999 when they moved to Santa Rosa, CA. They returned to San Diego in 2001, and then moved to Portales in 2002. Steve and his business partner and friend, Jeff McNaughton, better known as “Duffy Moon,” established Rooney Moon Broadcasting in Portales and Clovis.
Steve was very involved in the community that he adopted, serving in various capacities. He was a member of the Board for the Hartley House. Steve coached Little League Baseball, and helped to coach on the city league football teams. He was the coach for the Dora Business and Professional Association (BPA) News Broadcast Team. His company serves as a corporate sponsor for ENMU Athletics. On a wider scope, he served on the board for the New Mexico Broadcasters Association, the New Mexico Film Council, and had recently established a committee for Rural Radio with the National Association of Broadcasters. Steve was never afraid of a hard day’s work, and was always ready to serve in new ways.
Steve was a devoted husband and father. He was involved in each of his children’s varied sports and other activities. Steve was also a talented guitarist and soloist, as well as a gifted announcer.
He is survived by his wife, Julie, three sons, William, James and Conner and a daughter, Caitlyn all of the family home; and his mother and step-father, Frances and Gerard Parmarter of Las Vegas, NV. He was preceded in death by his father, James Rooney in 1994.
Wheeler Mortuary
500 E Third St. , P O Box 116
Portales, NM 88130
Phone: (575) 356-4455
Fax: (575) 356-2646
Email: info@wheelermortuary.net
