James Lee Dooney

James Lee Dooney of Fort Collins passed away Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at Poudre Valley Hospital from heart failure. Jim was 87 years old. Jim was born July 1, 1924 in Elroy, Wisconsin to the parents of Floyd and Violet Dooney. An only child, Jim and his family grew up poor during the depression. His mother passed away when he was 15 and at 17, he volunteered to join the USMC during WWII and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant at 19, serving in Japan and the Pacific Islands from 1942 to 1944. He returned to Wisconsin after the war and married his sweetheart, Marion Lucille Dooney in 1948. Jim graduated from Marquette University and Marion and he moved to Colorado where Jim finished his Master's degree in Sociology at Denver University and worked at the VA Hospital in Denver. Mary and Jim had their only child, Robert in 1959. In 1961 he accepted a new position to develop the Department of Mental Health for Larimer County and moved to Fort Collins. He remained the Director of the Mental Health Dept. for over 30 years until his retirement in 1984. Jim had a strong love of music and was somehow involved with the art most of his life; playing drums in school jazz bands in his youth, barbershop music, vocal groups and guitar for over 50 years with several bluegrass and folk bands. He always loved to "perform" for others, playing the songs they wanted to hear, putting a smile on the listener's face and making them laugh was his #1 goal. His wife, Marion suddenly passed away in 1985 and although remaining very sociable, he never remarried. Jim was usually surrounded by many friends...Both from people he knew through his professional career, his long time neighbors, new friends at his new home and his vast array of musical relationships. Jim is survived by his son, Robert James Dooney of Denver and his grandchildren Christopher James and Patrick Robert Dooney of Fort Collins. Jim's Celebration of Life with Military Honors by the Fort Collins All Veterans Honor Guard will be held at Bohlender Funeral Chapel in Fort Collins Saturday, December 3rd at 11:00 a.m. A Reception / Wake will be held at Avogadro's Number in Fort Collins immediately following the service. He will be missed.