Wallace Philip Cooney, formerly of Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, died June 28, 2013 at his home at Montebello in Alexandria, Virginia. He was 80 years old and had suffered in recent years with multiple system atrophy. After retiring in 1992, he moved to Alexandria, Virginia.
Wallace Cooney was an attorney and served as a vice president of the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society where he worked for over 25 years. Together with his wife, Aideen O’Malley Cooney, they raised seven children.
Mr. Cooney served on the Board of Governors of the Colonial Club of Princeton University for over 20 years. Other memberships included the Philadelphia Cricket Club, the Right-Angle Club of Philadelphia and the Rittenhouse Club of Philadelphia. He also served his community in many capacities. After moving to Alexandria, he served as an usher at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church for many years, before his health no longer allowed him to continue. He was very active in his children’s activities for many years, coaching Wyndmoor Little League baseball teams from 1967 – 1976, and also serving as Commissioner and overseeing the umpires for the league in those years. He was a scout leader for Wyndmoor Troup 177 of the Boy Scouts of America from 1971- 1984, and was a member of the Pool Committee at the Philadelphia Cricket Club for many years.
Wallace Philip Cooney was born in Brooklyn, NY on March 15, 1933, the youngest son of Marjorie McKeown Cooney of Brooklyn and Philip Harold Cooney of Bridgeport, CT. His family moved to Short Hills, NJ in 1941, moving permanently to Chestnut Hill in 1944. He graduated from Norwood Academy in 1947, The William Penn Charter School in 1950 (Trident Honor Society and Class Salutatorian), and Princeton University in 1954 where he received a B.A. in Economics. While at Princeton, he participated in freshman football and R.O.T.C. and joined the Colonial Club. After graduation, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army after attending Officers Training School in Fort Sill, OK. After serving as an artillery officer in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, he was promoted to First Lieutenant. In the fall of 1956, he entered University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he was a member of the Sharswood Law Club, graduating in 1959 when he was also admitted to the State Bar of Pennsylvania. Upon graduation, he was hired as an associate at Drinker, Biddle & Reath in Philadelphia.
He married Inez Grace Aideen O’Malley in 1958. In addition to his wife of 55 years, Wallace Cooney is survived by his sister, Janet Chark of Rye, NY; seven children and their spouses, including, Philip A. and Marney Cooney of Southlake, TX; W. Gresham and Rita Cooney of Oreland, PA; Ellen Cooney Marrin and her husband David, and Wallace R. and Catherine Cooney, all of Alexandria, VA; Christopher P. and Gina Cooney of Flourtown, PA; Aideen Cooney Briggs and her husband Payson, of Cincinnati, OH; and, Shelagh Cooney Roberts and her husband Kyle, also of Alexandria, VA. He is also survived by 20 grandchildren: Philip Cooney, Gresham Cooney, Polley Cooney, David Marrin, Kathleen Cooney, Thomas Cooney, Catherine Cooney, Patrick Cooney, Ellie Marrin, Patrick Cooney, William Marrin, Henry Briggs, Ruth Cooney, Joseph Cooney, Marney Briggs, Lucy Roberts, Payson Briggs, Ellen Roberts, Fiona Roberts, and William Cooney.
The Cooney family is extremely grateful to Mr. Alfred Thullah and Ms. Mary Moore who provided great comfort, care and joy to their father during his illness.
The visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 2, 2013 at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church from 9:00 – 9:45 a.m. prior to the 10:00 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at 310 S. Royal Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314. Interment will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Philadelphia, PA, on Monday, July 8, 2013 at 1:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington VA, 200 N. Glebe Road, Suite 506, Arlington, VA 22203. Arrangements by Simcox-McIlvaine Funeral Home in Lansdale.
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