Joanne (Rooney) Ronayne, 64, a long-time resident of Winchester, passed away at home on November 29, 2007. Born in Medford, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Ellen (Sullivan) Rooney. Joanne was raised and educated in Parochial Schools in Newton. After High School, she studied nursing at Boston College. In 1970, while employed as a secretary at Suffolk University, she met Michael R. Ronayne, who was then a professor in the Chemistry Dept. there. They married a year later, the same year he was named Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and shared over 30 years of marriage until his death in 2005.
While raising their daughter, Michelle, in Winchester, Joanne was active in the community. She volunteered her time as a member of the Winchester PTA at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Also concerned with the Winchester community, she served as an elected member of Town Meeting for over 10 years. She was also a communicant of St. Mary’s church in Winchester.
In addition to her daughter, Michelle E. Ronayne, of Winchester, Joanne is also survived by her sister-in-law, Mary Munroe, of Arlington, and her brother-in-law, Joseph Ronayne and his wife Joan, of Needham, and many nieces and nephews. A Memorial Mass will be held in St. Mary’s Church, 155 Washington St., Winchester on Saturday, December 8 at 10AM. Relatives and friends respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours will be held in the Costello Funeral Home, 177 Washington St., on Friday from 5-8PM. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joanne’s memory may be made to the Michael Ronayne Scholarship Fund, c/o Suffolk University, 8 Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02108.