Ronald William Cooney of The Villages, FL passed away peacefully at his home Monday January 12, 2026. Ron, just shy of his 95th birthday was surrounded by family – his beloved wife, Susie Cooney; children Shea Cooney and Kathy Dobbs; and brother in law Mark Polsky.
Ron and Susie moved to The Villages from St. Louis, MO in 2005. Since then there was never a day Ron didn’t sing the praises of living in The Villages, and how wonderful life was there. For many years he remained active playing Bocce (even winning several championships), Pickle Ball, and Poker. Both he and Susie enjoyed attending many live performances at local venues, coffee at Starbucks, breakfast at Darrell’s Diner. And their favorite – Thursday night Crab Legs at the Lighthouse at Sumpter Landing.
Ron, born January19, 1931 in Council Bluffs, IA to Vera E. and Cecil E. Cooney, Sr. graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School where he was a Yell Leader, had the lead role in the play Our Town and was the fastest typist in his Senior class. Ron (known by family and friends then as “Skip”) was always proud of being an Eagle Scout and often said how the values of scouting helped guide him throughout life.
In 1954 Ron and his first wife, and their two children moved from Council Bluffs to Southern California where Ron attended Compton College and began his career, and excelled in sales at Airco. In 1965 Ron’s career dynamic change to marketing and his work took him to St. Louis where he would eventually be the chief executive at his own marketing firm, Marketing Associates of America. It is also where he’d meet and marry his wife of 60 years and raise their two children.
Ron was a man of many talents who excelled at writing poetry and short stories. He liked doing Sudoku and watching Jeopardy and NFL Football. Ron had a love and vitality for life and a very positive attitude, encouraging others, especially his children to see possibility in everything, to never give up.
He is survived by wife, Susanne Cooney née Lentin; children Kathleen Dobbs née Cooney, Gregory Shea Cooney, and Shannon Cooney; grandchild Gavin Dobbs; and several nieces; and nephews. Preceding Ron in death are his parents Cecil and Vera Cooney; older brother Lloyd Cooney; younger brother C.E. ‘Pep’ Cooney,Jr.; sister Myrtle Breedlove née Cooney; and son Walter Cooney.