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MCHR would like to remember and honor the life of Frank Charles “Charlie” Rooney.  Charlie died peacefully on August 15, 2024, in Tucson Arizona, after a yearlong battle with blood cancer. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Jean (Eleanor), son Luis (Jennifer), daughter Barbara and grandson Pedro Rooney. He is also survived by his sister Mary Theresa McGuigan (Gerry McGuigan) and niece Maryanne McGuigan, residents of Carrickmacross, Ireland and nephew Peter McGuigan of Brussels, Belgium.

Since 2012, Charlie and his wife Jean have lived in Tucson with daughter Barbara Sedano, and grandson Pedro. However, they have dearly missed many friends in Detroit Michigan, where they lived and raised their family for more than 50 years. In Michigan, they were active with justice and peace groups, beginning in the 1960s, especially The Alliance and the Archdiocese of Detroit Justice and Peace Office. A 1973 study trip organized by that office to Chile and Brazil led to many years of work on Latin American justice issues. The final 20 years of his lifework in Detroit were with the Michigan Coalition for Human Rights, where he was chair for many years. In Tucson, both were active with the organization No More Deaths, working to end the suffering and death of migrants in southern Arizona.  Charlie and his wife Jean have always shared a strong commitment to these causes and organizations. MCHR will be forever grateful for his dedication to human rights and for helping MCHR become the organization it is today.

His full obituary can be found here.

Memorial donations in Detroit may be to the Michigan Coalition for Human Rights at 9200 Gratiot Ave, Detroit 48213 or on our website.

Rest in Power, Charlie! You will be missed.