« Developers To Close Streets Near Atlantic Yards | Main | THE 2007 LIBERTY MEDALS »
October 16, 2007
Remembering Tom Rooney, Prospect Heights Resident and Community Activist
UPDATE: Information about funeral services for Tom should be available later today. We'll let you know as soon as we learn something.
The news that Tom Rooney (60) passed away came to us by way of local activist, Duffield St. Underground blogger and musician, Raul Rothblatt.
Our neighbor and one of the original DDDb activists Tom Rooney died unexpectedly yesterday afternoon. The details of how are not yet known, but he was active around the neighborhood until hours before he passed away. He died at home, and it was probably very quickly.
His body is at Duffy's funeral home, but the main source of information should be his church: St Augustines Catholic Church
www.staugustineparkslope.org
116 6th Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 783-3132I am really saddened to hear this news. Tom was a strident supporter of our community, and I will miss him.
We called Prospect Heights activist Patti Hagan when we heard the news, because we recalled that for years, Tom would hand deliver NoLandGrab to his technologically handicapped neighbor and friend.
Patti explained that for more than three years, Tom would download and print out NoLandGrab and AtlanticYardsReport, along with a daily index that occasionally included some personal thoughts on the latest Ratner news, and deliver it in a black plastic bag hung on her front doorknob. He continued this friendly neighborhood service until last Friday, October 12, even though Patti now has access to a computer workstation.
We'll keep you posted on where and when services will be held. For more information, you can also contact St. Augustine's Catholic Church, where Tom served as head usher for weekend services.
UPDATE: Patti Hagan informs us that Tom Rooney "was one of the original Prospect Heights Action Coalition members, joining in 2002 when PHAC was founded, and continuing on when PHAC sounded the alarm on Atlantic Yards in July 2003. Whenever Tom testified it was as a member of PHAC."
Posted by lumi at October 16, 2007 12:02 PM