Great Barrington — William H. Mooney, Jr., 66, a longtime resident of Cottage Street, passed away Saturday evening, December 6, 2014 at Fairview Commons following a courageous battle with cancer.
A native and lifelong resident of Great Barrington Bill was born December 28, 1947 the son of the late William and Gertrude Maher Mooney. He was a graduate of the former Searles High School. He went on and received his Bachelors degree in Education from Westfield State, a Master’s in Education from The Former North Adam’s State College and continued taking classes to further his education at Mass College of Liberal Arts in North Adams.
Mr. Mooney was a passionate and deeply devoted educator. He taught in the Berkshire Hills Regional School District for 37 years, 32 of those years were spent in the English Department at Monument Mountain Regional High School. He was a former head of the English Department as well as a secretary of the Berkshire Hills Teachers Association. For Bill there was never a student that he would consider a “lost cause.” He would always go to bat for any student or teacher in need.
Bill could often be found running the scoreboard for basketball games at Monument Mountain and for the Golden Knights. He also coached, umpired and organized the Girls Softball League for many years.
Mr. Mooney was an active member of community. He was a member of the Great Barrington Board of Selectmen and the Great Barrington Finance Committee for far too many years to count. He was also a member of The Hope Volunteer Fire Co. and Elder Services.
He was a Communicant of St. Peter’s Church and was an ordained minister and performed many weddings including his own children’s at times.
He was a man of many interests. He was a voracious reader, loved trains, John Wayne, watching Western’s and playing the guitar. Some of his favorite times were spent teaching his grandchildren to play guitar and playing the timeless games of “cops and robbers.”
Bill is survived by his wife of 30 years, Donna Mooney. His three daughters; Debbie Davis and her husband, Mike, and their children, Kyle, Lily, Porsha, Malynda all of Monterey; Marie Dellea and her son, Shawn, of Monterey; and Kristen Maxwell and her husband, Tim, and their children Josh, Elysia and Meghan of Dallas, Texas. He also leaves his son William H. Mooney III and his wife, Elizabeth, of Gettysburg, Penn. He always kept a special place in his heart for his beloved dog Bear.
He was predeceased by his brothers, John and Anthony.
A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, Dec. 11 at 10 a.m. at St. Peter’s Church in Great Barrington, conducted by Rev. William P. Murphy, Pastor. Burial will follow at St. Peter’s Cemetery in Great Barrington.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, Dec. 10 from 4 to 7 p.m. at FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME in Great Barrington.
Donations in William H. Mooney Jr.’s memory may be made to The Monument Mountain High School Athletic Department through FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230, MA 01230. Remembrances may be sent to the family through www.finnertyandstevens.com
