Obituary of Edith N. Rooney

Edith N. Rooney (known to all as Edie), formerly of Franklin Road, Denville, passed away on March 4, 2026, at the age of 87.

Born in East Orange, New Jersey to Elsie and William Nanke, Edie had several childhood homes, including in Kearny, North Arlington, and Florida.  The home she remembered most fondly, however, was on East Shore Road in Indian Lake, Denville, where she spent many summers and where, during some years, she was a year-round resident.  Edie was a founding member of the Indian Lake Water Skiing Club and a member of its undefeated Women’s Volleyball Team.  Her favorite job was as a lifeguard, especially on stormy summer days when the rain kept the bathers away and allowed Edie to hang out with her friends in the clubhouse.

A graduate of North Arlington High School, Edie went on to earn an associate’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University and worked in several medical offices, most notably as a receptionist and bookkeeper for a dentist in Chatham.

Edie met her husband, Gavin Rooney, while water skiing on Indian Lake.  Following a courtship over Gavin’s many cups of coffee, the couple married and purchased a home on Indian Lake, where they raised their only child and taught him to fish, swim, and ice skate.  A lover of dogs, Edie owned and showed German Shepherds and raised several litters of puppies.  She shared a fondness for Lake George, New York with Gavin, and the family spent many summer vacations camping and boating there.

Edie and Gavin retired from Denville in 1990 and bought a home overlooking Lake George.  During the summers, Edie worked for the Lake George Chamber of Commerce, helping tourists with recommendations and answering silly questions, such as where to go for the best whale watching spot on the lake.   Edie was especially fond of her three grandsons, and she treasured the times they visited her lake house during the summers.  To her grandsons, Edie will always be “Nanny,” a baker of delicious cookies who consistently stocked the house with their favorite treats and who bought them all manner of floats to enjoy on the lake.  Edie and Gavin spent their winters in Jupiter, Florida, where Edie enjoyed golf outings, card games with the ladies, and days of quiet reading when Gavin was off fishing in the Atlantic.  She also served on the board of her condominium association, including a term as president.

Edie will be remembered most for her kind heart, level head, and sense of humor.  Her son remembers that when, as a child, he announced that he was running away from home, Edie responded, “That’s nice.  I’ll make you a sandwich to take with you.”  Needless to say, her son ate the sandwich and promptly returned home. 

Edie is survived by her brother, William Nanke; her son, Gavin Jr., and her daughter-in-law, Diane; and her three grandsons, Liam, Kieran, and Logan.  She is predeceased by her parents, William and Elsie Nanke, and her husband of 64 years, Gavin Sr., who passed away only fourteen days before she did.