Chief Michael D. Mooney Send a condolence note

Gilford----Chief Michael D. Mooney, 63, of Morrill Street, died at the Lakes Region General Hospital, Laconia on Tuesday, April 8, 2008.

  Chief Mooney was born August 10, 1944 in Laconia, the son of Ronald and Beatrice (Thompson) Mooney.  He was raised in Belmont and graduated from Belmont High School in 1964.

          Chief Mooney served in the U. S. Army in Vietnam from 1964-1967 where he was a Military Police Machine Gunner on a helicopter and was also a dog handler.     

Chief Mooney resided in Belmont and later moved to Gilford where he lived for the past twenty-six years.  In 1961, he was a call fighter for the Town of Belmont and then went on to work for the Laconia Fire Department in 1968. In 1971, he became a firefighter for the Town of Gilford.  He was named Lieutenant in 1973 and proceeded up the ranks to Captain in 1976.  In 1979 he became Fire Chief.  He retired in Sept., 2005 after twenty-six years as Chief.

         Chief Mooney was past president and member of the New England Association of Fire Chiefs, past president and member of the N. H. Association of Fire Chiefs, a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, a member and past president of the Lakes Region Mutual Aid, Chairman of the N. H. Board of Fire Control for fifteen years and was Forest Fire Warden for twenty-six years.

 Chief Mooney was awarded a Medal of Valor from the Manchester Union Leader and the International Association of Firefighters Local 1153 for the lifesaving rescue of a woman in the McIntyre Block Fire of 1969.

Chief Mooney was Grand Marshal of the 2005 Gilford Old Home Day Parade.  He was a  member and past president of the Belknap County Sportsmen’s Association, a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Laconia Post # 1670 and the American Legion Wilkins-Smith Post #1.  

Chief Mooney enjoyed hunting, fishing, watching the Red Sox and the Patriots and gardening.

Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Jennifer Mooney of Gilford; two grandchildren, Jacob & Emily Mooney, both of Gilford; four brothers, Mark Mooney and his wife, Ruth, of Belmont, Allan Mooney and his wife, Margaret, of South Carolina, Tom Mooney and his wife, Barbara, of Florida and Peter Mooney and his wife, Suzie, of Massachusetts; four sisters, Nellie Grant of Tilton, Colleen Amsden and her husband, Roger, of Gilford, Kathleen Ordway and her husband, Wyman, of Andover and Susan Mooney and her husband, Ralph Ouellette, of Gilford; his companion, Marie Swain, of Laconia and several nieces and nephews.  Chief Mooney was predeceased by his parents and by two sisters, Linda Cofske and Joanne Mooney.

 Calling hours will be held on Thursday, April 10, 2008 from 2:00-4:00PM and 6:00-8:00PM in the Carriage House of the Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N.H.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, April 11, 2008 at 10:00AM at St. Joseph Church, 30 Church Street, Laconia, N.H. by Rev. Gary J. Kosmowski, Pastor of the Church.

Burial with Military Honors will follow in the N. H. State Veterans Cemetery, 110 Daniel Webster Highway, Rte. 3,  Boscawen, N. H.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Gilford Fireman’s Relief Association, 39 Cherry Valley Road, Gilford, N. H. 03249, Community Health & Hospice, Inc., 780 North Main Street, Laconia, N. H. 03246 or to a charity of one’s own choice.

Wilkinson-Beane Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, N. H. is in charge of the arrangements.  For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.