ROONEY, Dianne

ROONEY, Dianne

28-Feb-1937 - 02-Aug-2020

Tribute – Dianne Margret Rooney

Dearly loved wife of Peter and mother of three sons Simon, Stuart and Roger Rooney, cherished grandmother to Olivia, Maeve, Ava and Lola, are saddened to announce the passing of Dianne Margret Rooney, loving wife of Peter Burns Rooney.

Lived a full life to 83. Dianne was born in Camperdown, Victoria, on 28 February 1937 to Frank and Norma Errey. Dianne thrived at Morongo Presbyterian Girls’ College, particularly at sports where she was the athletics champion and hockey captain. Dianne would tell stories about her school days and her travels until the end, bringing much joy in her revelry.

She sailed to London at 22 and lived in Kensington with her school mates and travelled the continent, including France, Norway, Germany and Italy. Working in the travel industry in London in 1959/60, she went to many a theatre production, numerous performances at Albert Hall and the ballet - even meeting Margo Fonteyn and marvelling at Rudolf Nureyev. A gifted storyteller with a masterful command of the English language, Dianne would hold court on her many travels, highlights including visiting East Berlin ‘undocumented’ through Checkpoint Charlie and hitching hiking in Italy.

Dianne loved the water and spent many a summer down the beach with her boys, down at Blairgowrie, and boogie boarded up and down the Victorian and NSW coastline until she was 80. She cared for her parents in their final days; her family her world. A strong leader and loving mother to her sons, she taught us the value of a wide vocabulary, eating fresh produce out of the garden, watching Wimbledon until all hours, how to celebrate the moment, play cards for hours and how to make the perfect Pavlova.

Passed away peacefully and is now getting up to mischief with her darling husband Peter. Long may they be together.

She will be missed.