Dr. Alvin Willis Mooney
Dr. Mooney died of a heart attack at his
home in Fort St. James, B.C. on Monday
August 13, 2007. His wife Janey Mooney
predeceased him September 7, 2006.
Dr. Mooney is survived by his eight
children – Marmie Cunningham, Walker
(Carol) Mooney, Janette Nicholas, Louise
Kaneen, Michael Mooney, Deirdre (Fred)
Schoening, Fergus Mooney and Kerri
(Jean-Francois) Lefebvre; his seventeen
grandchildren Mara (Dean) Audet, Judy
Cunningham, Janey Cunningham, Sandy
(Julianne) Cunningham, Alvin Cunningham,
Evelyn (Zak) Murakami, Dawn Mooney,
Stephanie Mooney, Tim Mooney, Chris
Smith, Megan (Dave) Rowbottom, Tamsin
Kaneen, Nicki Schoening, Charles (Erin)
Schoening, Adam (Shannon) Schoening,
Luke Schoening and Erin Mooney; and his
six great grandchildren Ty Audet, Tiara
Audet, Sharley Audet, Walker Cunningham,
Justin Schoening and Madeline Janey
Schoening.
Dr. Mooney was born on April 17,
1915 in Crawford Bay, British Columbia.
He attended school there, in Nelson and
Vancouver. He completed his undergraduate
studies at U.B.C. and taught school in
Burnaby for several years. He then
attended the University of Alberta where
he studied medicine. After short periods
of practice as an Army Medical Offi cer in
Fort Nelson and as a physician at St. Paul’s
Hospital in Vancouver, Dr. Mooney moved
in 1947 to Vanderhoof B.C. with his wife
Janey and the fi rst two of eventually eight
children.
Dr. Mooney remained in practice in
Vanderhoof for the next 40 years or so
until they retired to their home on Stuart
Lake in Fort St. James. It was very much
a frontier medical practice especially in
the early days when he was on his own.
There were few roads, so much of the
travel to the outlying towns and native
communities was by boat, aircraft and the
early Bombardier snowmobiles of the day.
As the region grew in population and
additional doctors arrived, Dr. Mooney
returned to Edmonton for post graduate
studies in general surgery leading to
a Fellowship in both the Canadian
and American College of Surgeons.
In addition to his medical practice,
Dr. Mooney was very much involved in
community affairs and participated on the
Village Council, School Board, Regional
District and many other initiatives including
over 50 years with Rotary. Dr. Mooney was
always a strong proponent of education
and was very proud of his involvement in
the establishment of the College of New
Caledonia and the University of Northern
British Columbia. He was especially
delighted with the addition of a medical
school program at UNBC.
Dr. Mooney strongly believed he could
not have had a better life than he and Janey
did, serving the people of Vanderhoof, Fort
St. James and the surrounding region.
They will both be missed immeasurably by
surviving family, friends and associates.
A Service of Remembrance will be held
Thursday August 23, 2007 at 3:00 p.m.
from the Northside Mennonite Church
(Vanderhoof), with Pastor Hugo Reimer
offi ciating. Grace Memorial Funeral Home
in care of arrangements. 1-866-567-4814.