Bryan N. Cooney

Celebrating the Legacy of Bryan Cooney Bryan Cooney left this world for a much better place on June 21, 2015. Born in Eliasville, Texas to Frank and Ester Cooney in 1920, he was one of five children, including: Ida Evelyn, James, Edward Lange and Marvin. Frank Cooney was an oil field man and the family followed him to a number of oil towns before arriving in Iraan, Pecos County, Texas in 1927, where drilling for oil still goes on in the 21st century. Bryan, at an early age, was drawn to music and with excellent teachers available in the Iraan schools, Bryan excelled, not only playing in the Junior High and High School bands but also a Boy Scout band where he obtained the rank of Eagle Scout. Once he graduated from high school, he headed for Sam Houston State College where he continued his love of music, graduating in 1942 with a teaching degree in Music. He also met Dorothy May Shaw, his future wife, before heading off to ""work"" for Uncle Sam for a couple of years during WWII and playing in the Army Band. After the war he, Dorothy, and first child Pat, headed back to Texas searching for jobs as music teachers. They landed jobs in Freeport Texas with Bryan as the high school band director and Dorothy as the junior high band teacher. After as few years of teaching, Dorothy decided to stay home with a second child, Teresa, a third child, Tim, and a fourth child, Lynelle. Bryan accepted the position of Supervisor of Music for the rapidly growing community of Brazosport. The music programs expanded, new directors where hired, and all of the bands and choirs won top awards in numerous Texas state competitions. Extra-curricular programs were created by Bryan that involved many in the Brazosport Community in the years to follow as well. In 1974, Bryan retired, and he and Dorothy with 4th child, daughter Lynelle, headed for Denver, fulfilling Dorothy's dream to live in Colorado. They both began second careers: Dorothy teaching orchestra at various Jefferson County schools and Bryan, first working at Flesher Hinton Music Company and later working in the geology department at the Colorado School of Mines. Over the years though, and while still living in Texas, Bryan found himself drawn back to west Texas, where he found ancient remains of creatures that had lived millions of years ago. This passion for invertebrate fossils would eventually help him land that job at the Colorado School of Mines as the curator of geology collections and the department collections manager. He held this position for 21 years before retiring in his late 80's. In 2005 Bryan was awarded the prestigious Mines Medal for his dedication to the School of Mines. Bryan, with a friend, founded what would become the Western Interior Paleontological Society. He also was a research associate at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and donated thousands of invertebrate fossils to museums in Texas and Colorado. He was also a co-founder of the Brazosport Museum and one of the founding members of the Brazosport Symphony Orchestra. Bryan lived a very full life, filled with hours of playing his beloved baritone, playing in various community bands and orchestras, mentoring many new band directors, hunting fossils and simply enjoying life. While residing in Denver, he and Dorothy attended Bear Valley Church where they contributed their labors of love to the music program and the seniors ministry. He was known by many as one who would invest his life in the lives of others. Bryan's wife Dorothy, passed away in 1998. He is survived by four children: Pat Jablonsky, Teresa Cox, Tim Cooney and Lynelle Harding. Those children made him a grandfather 8 times over and then greatly rewarded him with 5 great-grandchildren, four boys and one girl. Rather than flowers, please consider making a small donation to any of these following organizations that Bryan invested so much of his life in: The Brazosport Museum %The Center for Arts & Sciences 400 College Blvd. Clute, TX 77531 979-265-7661 TheCenter@bcfas.org The Iraan Museum City of Iraan % Laquetta Harris Iraan, TX 79744 432-639-2301 Western Interior Paleontological Society P.O. Box 200011 Denver, CO 80220 Scholarship Program westernpaleo.org Sam Houston State University Office of University Advancement Box 2537 Huntsville, TX 77341-2537 800-283-7478 alumni.shsu.edu/giving 936-294-3625 HopeWest Hospice (This is where Bryan spent his final days) Administrative Offices 3090 North 12th St. #B Grand Junction, CO 81506 970-241-2212 If more address information is needed, feel free to call any member of the family or go on line to patjabo@hotmail.com or peakbaggers@acsol.net. A Visitation will be held on Saturday, June 27, 2015 from 8:45 AM till 10 AM at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 3101 South Wadsworth Boulevard, Lakewood, Colorado. A Funeral Service will follow the visitation at 10 AM. Interment will be at Crown Hill Cemetery, 7777 W. 29th Ave., Wheat Ridge, Colorado, at approximately 12 Noon on Saturday, June 27, 2015. The family will receive friends with a light reception at Bear Valley Church, 10001 W. Jewell Ave., Lakewood, Colorado following the graveside service. Please share your memories of Bryan and offer condolences to the family by signing the guest book below.