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 Martin J. Cooney
July 08, 2004
Martin J. Cooney, 75, of 13 Park Circle Drive died at Berkshire Medical Center on Thursday following a long illness.
Born in Dalton on May 1, 1929, son of Matthew and Delia Deely Cooney, he was a 1947 graduate of the former Dalton High School and attended West Point Military Academy.
He was a Korean War veteran, and during his service in Korea he was known as the GI "Pied Piper," as he was detailed to lead 37 Chinese prisoners from the front to a rear-area prisoner of war enclosure. As the column of prisoners marched down a dusty road, it strangely grew longer and longer. It was later discovered that the Chinese kept coming out of the bush and joining the line of prisoners. He was amazed to find 88 captives when the journey ended.
Following his discharge, he graduated from the GE management training program. He was employed at GE in the ordnance division as manager of employee relations and benefits for 39 years, retiring in January 1990. After he retired, he operated the Shamrock Consulting Service for five years.
He was a member of St. Agnes' Church, and a member of and first steward of the Dalton American Legion, a member of the Dalton VFW, the GE Elfun Society, a longtime chairman and member of the Central Berkshire Regional School Committee and had served as town moderator and as a deputy sheriff.
He was active in youth sports in Dalton, having served in many capacities in the Berkshire County American Legion Baseball League, as a sandlot ball coach and refereeing high school games.
For his volunteer work in the community in 1971, Mr. Cooney was given a special honorable mention and was one of 10 finalists in the company-wide Phillippe Award Program at GE.
He leaves his wife, the former Rosemary Fuller, whom he married May 28, 1950; two sons, Kevin B. Cooney and Shaun P. Cooney, both of Pittsfield; three daughters, Roseanne C. McDevitt of Pittsfield, Sheila C. Streeter of West Hatfield and Amy K. Cooney of South Portland, Maine; three brothers, John P. Cooney and Michael Cooney, both of Dalton, and Matthew Cooney of Altantic Beach, Fla.; two sisters, Kathy Walton of Dalton and Ann Nancy Comeau of Plymouth; 11 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. A daughter, Maureen C. Callnan, died on Feb. 17, 2001.
FUNERAL NOTICE -- A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Martin J. Cooney, who died July 8, 2004, on Monday, July 12, at 11 at St. Agnes' Church, with the Rev. Christopher Malatesta, pastor, officiating.
Burial will follow in Ashuelot Cemetery. Calling hours at the BARTLETT-WELLINGTON FUNERAL HOME will be Sunday from 2 to 5. Among survivors are Mr. Cooney's grandchildren, Sean, Delia and Amanda Callnan, Brendhan and Martin McDevitt, Jamie, Matthew, Katelyn and Liam Streeter, and Cenlia and Maggie Tuttle; his great-grandchildren, Tyler and Cailey Callnan; his sons-in-law, Williams McDevitt and James Streeter; his daughter-in-law, Pat Maloney, and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to either the Dalton Ambulance Fund or to St. Agnes' Church in care of the funeral home, 525 Main St., Dalton, MA 01226.
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