Frank Leroy Mooney
Francis Leroy Mooney was born on October 20, 1925, in Quebec City, Quebec and died on September 8, 2022, in Whitehorse, Yukon. Frank entered, lived, and exited his life surrounded by faith, family, friends, adventures, and stories.
He was the grandson of Sea Captain John Andrew Mooney and Anne Mullen from PEI; son of John Harold Mooney and Gertrude Mae Driscoll of Saint John, NB; and beloved brother to Father John Mooney, George, and Gertrude Fleiger.
Frank graduated from St. Vincent School, Saint John, NB in 1942. Eighty years later, with class list in hand, memory sharp as ever, he could recall every classmate’s name and a story for each.
He graduated from St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS, with an Engineering Diploma in 1946. Besides his Engineering studies, he “lettered” in three sports: Basketball, Football, and Rugby. He attended the University of Toronto and finished his Civil Engineering B.Sc. Degree, then also taught Engineer courses, and was a member of the Co-operative Rochdale Housing Movement from 1949-52.
Frank’s engineering career took him to every province and territory in Canada except PEI; from working on the DEW Line in Labrador, the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, and building hydro-electric projects including the South Saskatchewan River Dam, and the Aishihik Lake Generating System. He managed numerous road construction projects including some with the colourful Ben Ginter. He greatly enjoyed working with the Yukon Native Construction Company, his time with Rita in Africa with the Canadian International Development Agency, and finishing his career with Yukon College. After decades of professional engineering service, community service, civic and church involvement, he was asked of his greatest achievement, to which he replied, “Marrying your mother”.
Frank and Rita Marie Clair were married in 1954. They had four children in Toronto, four in Saskatchewan, and then moved to the Yukon in 1970. They shared a love of faith, family, music, education, travel, and community involvement. After retirement, they travelled to Mexico in the winters and summered at Marsh Lake, Yukon. Before their first adventure to Mexico, when asked of their destination, replied “No damn way! You kids will never find us!”; joking of course, as children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren spent many “happy hours” with Frank and Rita in several Mexican locations.
Frank had almost thirty years of stories before he married the love of his life. Together they had fifty-five years of love and adventures before Rita passed in 2009. In his last thirteen years he enjoyed good health and travel. He was always known for his hospitality and for making you feel comfortable. He was a man of many virtues, but the greatest of these was love.
Frank was preceded in death by his son John Harold. He’ll be greatly missed by his remaining seven children, sixteen grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, nieces/nephews, and countless beloved extended family and friends. The family is grateful for all the love and support from the staff at Macaulay Lodge, Thomson Centre, and Whitehorse General Hospital. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Frank and Rita Mooney Memorial Scholarship at the Yukon Foundation.
‘Till we meet again. The best is yet to come. Faith is a gift. Relax kid. Have a short one. Get a good sleep kid. Esse Quam Videri “To be, rather than to seem”.
Funeral Mass – October 1, 2022, at 1 PM at Sacred Heart Cathedral followed by interment at Grey Mountain Cemetery. Reception at 7 PM at 302 Strickland St, Centre de la Francophonie.
James L Marta
Frank and Rita were wonderful people, an absolutely beautiful couple now together again.
Bianca Stewart
Frank was an amazing peson with a beautiful smile, he will be greatly missed.
Ingrid Taggart
I had the sense that Frank would live forever! Miss seeing him in the Thomson Centre.
What a very special photo of Frank and Rita, such a warm, generous and beautiful couple. May they be happy together again.