Asher "Mick/Bud" J. Rooney

Owner of Mick’s Boat Storage for over 55 years, Asher J “Mick” Rooney, age 86, peacefully passed away on October 2, 2023, of respiratory failure, in the care of Peace Hospice, his loving & devoted stepchildren, Tena & Tony at his side.

Mick was born, Asher James Rooney Jr. in Great Falls, MT on October 28, 1936, the only child, to Myrtle & Asher James Rooney Sr. He attended Emerson, Roosevelt, Paris Gibson, and Great Falls High schools. Mick’s grandfather, Henry H. Rooney, a well fixed pioneer citizen, along with Sr’s surviving brothers William & Edward Sr. (Charles & young sister Dora had passed away) and father, Asher J. Rooney Sr., were considered “Big Money People” in town due to owning several buildings/businesses in both the downtown & lower southside areas of Great Falls, (aka ROONEYVILLE), to include houses, apartment buildings, a secondhand store, and multiple types of storage businesses under the good Rooney name. Amongst those were Rooney Storage, Rooney & Son(s) Storage, Rooney Storage Co., and Rooney Warehouse Storage which held belongings from household goods to autos in a multi-level warehouse at 926 5th St S, which sadly, was razed some years ago after serving & standing for over 100 years.

As a young boy and selling the Great Falls Leader on a downtown street corner, Mick didn’t care for his given “Jr.” name of Asher so his parents started calling him Buddy, (so then did his regular buyers of the newspaper) which eventually turned into “Bud” as he got older. Then later, after entering the “regular workforce” and with “Rooney” as a last name, his fellow workmates began calling him Mickey after the very well-known actor/entertainer Mickey Rooney.

Mick was extremely talented, very outgoing and phenomenally intelligent. He was involved in many things about town and held many different roles over his lifetime. He was a service station attendant & mechanic, junkyard attendant at Weissman’s, bouncer at The J-Bar-T, bar owner, and pilot. He worked in the booth at the Great Falls Motor Speedway Friday & Saturday nights for years. After encouragement and high praise from his good friend and previous office holder John Rein, Mick ran for and was elected President of the City/County Planning Board. He enthusiastically jumped into becoming a shop teacher at GFHS during the teachers strike in 1989, despite having to cross a picket line of angry berating teachers over the 29 school days of the strike.

Mick was an Montana Air National Guardsman with the 186th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron requiring Armory & Ballistics Training, allowing him the arming of the F-102 Delta Dagger and the F-106 Delta Dart, respectively, with 24 unguided 2.75 inch rockets and 6 guided missiles.... and 1 AIR-2A Genie air-to-air nuclear missile, plus 4 of the AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missiles.

He was a Classic Car and Airplane Enthusiast, a past member of the Great Falls Photography Club, an avid pool player, a watcher of Old Westerns and the Motor Trend Channel. He looked forward to annual Hunting Trips with his longtime buddy’s....amongst them were the late, Curly Creasman and the Munns’ Men.

As an 18 year old Lot Boy, working at a car dealership on 2nd Ave N and 52nd St, Mick special ordered the first 1958 Chevy Impala Convertible in Great Falls. Customized black with a white top and a 328-3 with a 2 barrel carburetor that he took to the drags in Billings and Spokane, WA, along with the “occasional” drag race challenge on the streets on Great Falls.

In 1958, Mick married Vonda Vineyard and together they followed in the very successful Rooney Family Tradition when they bought some land just 4 miles south of town where they made their home and built, owned, and operated Mick’s Boat Villa for what turned out to be decades and operates to this day. It was the only of its kind with both boat locker storage and gas pumps. Boaters could pull up to the docks and Mick or Vonnie would gas em’ up and off they’d go for more fun on the river. Oftentimes, the water ski races, jumps and shows would be held right in front of their home and business.

10 years later, on May 7, 1968, they welcomed their only child, a daughter, Mishell “Shelli” Ann Rooney into their world. As a family, they were living their dreams until Vonnie fell ill and passed away in 1986, at just 46 years old. Then only 5 short years later, in 1991, Mick suffered another heartbreaking loss with the passing of his daughter, Shelli, at just 23 years old. We were devastated.

Our MOM & Mick found great fondness for one another while their decades long friendship turned into love. Mick’s generosity was a trait he enjoyed being humbled by as there were many grateful recipients of his kindheartedness, among those being our beautiful MOM, Georgene. My how they loved each other.

After a few years of dating, they were wed on March 17, 1992 and the rest of their lives was to be magical “Together”. Mick had encouraged her to seek the education she longed for in the Design & Architecture field. Thriving and with excellent grades she was honored with the Student of the Year Award at 48 years old. At MOM’s graduation, there was no one prouder than Mick as he and the rest of the family witnessed the biggest smile ever as she walked across that stage with such accomplished pride and that well-earned degree in hand. She had completed designing & drawing up the blueprints for their new home and both were looking forward to breaking ground on the same plot of land that they’d worked hard at elevating & improving along the scenic Missouri River. However, sadly, MOM & Mick would not realize this dream as His Love was called home way too soon when our MOM passed away on November 3, 1997, at a very youthful 51 years old. Devasting heartache once again.

So much of the kind of gentleman that Mick was, is very apparent in the adoration that he had for our MOM. It beams brighter than a beacon as evidenced in this eloquently penned soliloquy he’d written & read for her memorial, as he eulogized her in this most beautiful way....

YEARS AGO, WHEN GEORGENE CAME TO SIT AT MY CAMPFIRE,

WE PROMISED TO SPOIL EACH OTHER FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

I gave her Conversation.

She gave me Companionship.

I gave her Flowers.

She gave me Pretty Arrangements.

I gave her Perfume.

She gave me Sweetness.

I gave her a Corvette.

She gave me Pride.

I gave her Gold & Diamonds

She gave me Beauty Wearing Them.

I gave her Work.

She made it Fun.

I gave her an Education.

She gave me Wisdom.

I gave her a Boat.

She made Everyone Who Came Aboard Welcome.

I gave her a House.

She made it a Home.

NO MATTER WHAT I GAVE, SHE RETURNED IT MANY FOLD.

Mick Rooney

~1997~

Mick was a gifted Master Carpenter, and though his skills had been put to work in a plethora of bigger construction projects dappled all across the city, it’s a smaller, more modest build that he put his heart & soul into when he created the most beautiful, final resting place built for two. A gorgeous and finely crafted oak urn in which two destined souls now rest, sets peacefully nestled into a cozy, warm niche with a view.

~For 26 Years She’s Waited For You. She’s Looked For You Forever & A Day.~

So now that you’ve joined her, we’ve added your premade

and much anticipated loving last words of devotion....

“Together Again.”

Mick is survived by his cousin Ed & Barbara Rooney, stepdaughter Tena & Dave Blom, stepson Tony & Angela Cox, brother-in-law Wyman Brooks, two step-grandchildren, two great-step-grandchildren and many nieces & nephews.

At Mick’s request, a memorial service will be foregone. Sympathies may be shared online at www.OConnorFuneralHome.com or mailed to: PO Box 1672, Great Falls, MT 59403..

~Our family wishes to leave you with this last sentiment of encouragement....

“If Tomorrow Never Comes”

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