Walter Roney

Walter L Roney age 97, passed away on Saturday February 19, 2022.  Born in Frederick, MD on July 9, 1924, he was the son of Clyde M & Olga Olsen Roney and was one of 5 children.

Walter graduated from Frederick High School in 1941, working at Fairchild Aircraft in Hagerstown for a year until he was old enough to join the United States Marine Corps, at the outbreak of World War II, where he served in the South Pacific for 31 months from 1942 to 1945.  He participated in the battles of Guadalcanal, Tulagi, Rendova, Munda & Guam, and was also in Panama, Pago Pago, American Samoa, New Caledonia, New Hebredies, Enewitok, Kwajelan, Bankia, Pavuvu, & Pearl Harbor.

After the war, he attended Western Maryland College and Washington College in Chestertown, MD and then went to work in the family business, Roney Motor Company.  In 1947 Walter married his high school sweetheart Naomi Albaugh.

When the Korean War broke out Walter re-entered the Marine Corps from 1950 to 1952.

He worked for many years in the family business, which was sold in 1978, then worked at Jenkins Motors and finally at Ideal Buick-GMC as the GMC sales manager, retiring in 1991.

A fan of both the Washington Redskins and NASCAR, since the 1940’s, he also enjoyed family camping and went on numerous cruises after retiring.

He was active in the Boy Scouts of America, first as a scout in the 1930’s, then as an adult leader in the 1960’s, served as district chairman of the Francis Scott Key District for 3 years & was on the board of the National Capitol Area Council.  He was a trustee of the Holmes D Baker Jr Memorial Camp for 42 years.  He was a recipient of scouting’s Silver Beaver award and a member of the Order of the Arrow.

Walter was a charter member & the first Commandant of the Shangri La detachment of the Marine Corps League in Frederick.  He was a past president & life member of the Rotary Club of Frederick since 1955.  He was named a Rotary Fellow, which is the highest award that can be bestowed by a Rotary Club on one of it’s members.   Walter served on the MD Governors Commission for Children and Youth, was a director emeritus of the Frederick Mutual Insurance Company, and a life member of the American Legion.  In 2019 he was named a Distinguished Graduate of Frederick High School, 78 years after graduating.

Walter was predeceased by both his loving wife Naomi in 2004 & their daughter Maryann in 1999, as well as his sisters Alma, Jeanne & Ruth, and his brother Clyde.  He is survived by his sons Dennis Roney & companion Mary Danek, of Frederick, and Michael Roney & wife Patricia of Newark DE, granddaughter Erin Roney, grandson Brian Roney, and numerous nieces & nephews.  He is also survived by his many very close friends too numerous to mention individually.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Country Meadows & Frederick Health Hospital for their excellent care & kind treatment over his last few years.

The family will receive friends from 5-8 PM on Friday, February 25, at Stauffer Funeral Home, 1621 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, February 26 at All Saints Episcopal Church, 106 West Church Street, Frederick. Interment will follow in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Frederick.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Naomi & Walter Roney Memorial Fund in support of veterans causes, at the Community foundation of Frederick, 312 E. Church St, Frederick MD 21701 or Country Meadows Co-Worker Foundation 830 Cherry Drive, Hershey PA 17033.

Expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at staufferfuneralhome.com