WILLIAMSBURG — Joseph M. “The Rook” Roney succumbed, due to complications from pancreatitis, at 2:57 p.m., Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, at Sentara Williamsburg Medical Center with Rita and Lisa at his side.
Joe was born in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, in June 1954 and raised in Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania. After attending college in Ranger, Texas, he moved to Washington, D.C., and was employed with the FBI as a fingerprint examiner.
The Rook was then recruited by the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Uniformed Division in October 1976, where he served under six presidents, had an audience with Pope John Paul II, worked the Atlanta Olympic Games and traveled the world. He held numerous roles – moving up the ranks as sergeant, then lieutenant, where he was in charge of the office that performed the advance work for presidential details. Many brotherhoods developed from his federal career.
Joe was an avid bowler, pool player, baseball and softball player — and he loved to golf, though golf hated him. He was a 3rd Degree lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus #4522 in Annandale for almost 48 years, where he served in numerous positions, most notably director of operations and grand knight. It was at the fraternal Casey Club that he created lifelong relationships.
Joe retired from the USSS in January 2001, moved to Williamsburg, joining his wife and daughter, who had moved to their new home in the summer of 2000, and immediately started his next career at the Virginia Racing Commission, rising to the director of security and enforcement role, from which he retired in 2013.
The Rook was also a proud and active member of the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge No. 757 in Williamsburg for almost 20 years, where he served on the board of directors, since 2013 and until his passing, as the administrator of the Lodge. It was at the Moose Lodge that he was welcomed as a member of the community and developed strong and lifelong friendships. Joe took great pride in the lodge and made many, many improvements and updates for the pleasure and comfort of its members and guests. Hopefully, when you visit the lodge again, you will smile at the improvements and remember Joe in a kind way. He considered the Lodge his home and treated it as such, taking every issue to heart and wanting to fix every situation. He was a generous and thoughtful man and filled the values of his Fellowship status.
The Rookie married the former Rita Giordano in July 1978, and his proudest accomplishment was their daughter, Lisa, who was born in September 1986. He was the perfect father who introduced the love of baseball to his daughter, especially the Philadelphia Phillies. He loved nothing more than to “start a tab” when his daughter joined him at the Social Quarters.
Due to sepsis, none of his organs could be donated, so the decision was made to donate his body to the medical field in hopes that others may not have to endure what the Rook suffered over his last 15 days. This is just a small token of the gratitude that his family extends as a thank you for the phenomenal treatment by all the doctors and nurses of Sentara Williamsburg Medical Center. Words cannot express how much they are appreciated.
The family suggests that any contributions be forwarded in Joe’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Moose Charities, specifically Moose Heart.
Please “raise a cold one” in memory of this wonderful man.
