On Friday, November 20th, 2020, Alan Joseph Rooney, SSgt. USMC, passed away at the age of 27. Alan was born on December 17, 1992 in Stoneham, Massachusetts. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps out of Bedford High School in 2011 and spent the rest of his life in the service as a Staff Sergeant and Explosive Ordinance Disposal Technician. Alan was a loving son to his mother Lorrie Rooney and brother to his siblings Jameson Rooney, Katelin Rooney, and Autumn Kamaras.

Best known by his close friends as Rooney, Alan spent his childhood in Bedford, creating lasting impressions on all those he met along the way. He had a deep love and reverence for nature, spending time traveling, fishing, and simply just being in the company of his friends. As a son, brother, friend, and mentor, Alan brought joy to all of those who knew him. He loved his family and would do anything for his brother and sisters.

Alan knew he wanted to become a marine after the tragedy on 9/11 and starting training with the marines in Waltham on Saturdays to prepare for bootcamp. He wanted to make a difference in the world. He loved being able to protect his country and was honored to serve in Afghanistan. After 10 years as a marine, Alan looked forward to a future career as a firefighter so that he could continue serving the communities and people around him.

Alan was an amazing individual who warmed the hearts of everyone. He may have been a bit quiet and reserved when you first met him, but once he opened up, he was simply jubilant. He gave love and genuine friendship to all those he met; even the people he didn't meet, heard of the wonderful, lively energy that he possessed every day.

Always polite and well mannered, Alan took pride in being the best person that he could be in his short time on this earth. He was always someone you could lean on or look up to, someone who was constantly trying to better himself so that he could be an amazing role model for his family and friends.

Alan is preceded in death by his grandparents Terry and Irene Rooney. He is survived by his mother, Lorrie, his grandmother Madeline Chilton, his brother Jameson, two sisters Katelin and Autumn and his fiancée Colleen Kofsky.

Visiting hours will be on Thursday, December 3, from 4:00-8:00 pm at Bedford Funeral Home, 167 Great Rd., Bedford, Massachusetts. A private funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Michael Church in Bedford followed by military honors.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, the Headstrong Project which provides mental health treatment and services for military veterans or to Vets4Warriors@vets4warriors.com.

https://www.hjf.org/donate

https://getheadstrong.org/