LOONEY, Ronald Carl

bluemountaienagle.com 5 Mar 2013 HINES – Ronald Carl Looney, 67, died Feb. 18, from cancer, surrounded by family at his Hines home. Funeral services were Feb. 22 at the Nazarene Church in Hines. Mr. Looney was born Sept. 5, 1945, in Caldwell, Idaho, to Walter Carl Looney and Bonita Isabelle Goebel Looney. They lived in the Dixie area before moving to Horseshoe Bend, Idaho, where he started school. The family then moved to Prairie City, where he attended Prairie City High School and joined the Prairie City Fire Department. In 1964, they moved to Burns, where he was a reserve police officer for many years, and also a member of the Hines Fire Department, from 1982-1984. In 1968, he married Linda Petersen, with whom he raised three boys and a girl in Burns. They coached their children’s ball teams, and were supportive of their other activities. They divorced in 2001 after 33 years, but remained friends. On Aug. 7, 2010, he married Corky Briggs in Hines. He loved the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing, and built juniper wood furniture. His long list of talents and interests included trapping, logging, millwork, leatherwork, knife building, gem cutting, taxidermy, ceramics, landscaping and gardening. He lived by his beliefs that family comes first, and to love what you do. He encouraged his children to spread their wings, and taught that the true riches in life have nothing to do with money. He also taught good work ethics, integrity, team work, and love and respect for the outdoors. Survivors include his wife, Corky; daughters Kelli (Robert) Beers of Hines and Christina (Scott) Pratt Meyers of Washington; sons, Philip Looney of Burns, Robert Looney of Hines and Randy Looney of Ceres, Calif.; foster son, Robert (Shara) Knieriem of Orting, Wash.; stepchildren, James and Sara Briggs of Sweet Home, Jeremy Briggs of Hines, and Matthew and Kasey Briggs of Hines; 19 grandchildren; two great-granddaughters; sister, Rosalie (Joe) Duff; brother, Rick (Esther) Looney; several nieces and nephews; three aunts; and an uncle. He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Bonita Looney; nieces, Carla Jo Duff and Stephanie Dauphinais; and cousins, Delbert, Tena and Darryl. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to LaFollette’s Chapel, P.O. Box 488, Burns, OR, 97720 or to his daughter, Kelli Beers, P.O. Box 1466 Hines, OR, 97738 to help defray funeral expenses.