Joan Rooney

Joan Rooney, a longtime resident of Port Washington, passed away peacefully on May 9, 2025, at Lawlis Family Hospice in Mequon at the age of 97.  

She was born on Sept. 23, 1927, to Matthias and Ida (Poull) Sturm. 

She was the last survivor of 72 first cousins and was deeply proud of her Luxembourger heritage.  

She was a graduate of St Mary’s School and Port Washington High School.

Joan was a well-known violinist who was as accomplished a performer as she was a teacher. In the first part of her career, Joan was a founding member of both the Milwaukee Catholic Symphony and the McDowell Club. She was also a member of the Waukesha Symphony and the Milwaukee Pops Orchestra, which was the forerunner of the Milwaukee Symphony.  

Among many other engagements, she was a regular performer at Karl Ratzsch’s in Milwaukee and at Alpine Village in Mequon.  

Later in her career, she began teaching at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, before establishing her own violin school — The Joan Rooney Strings. She was one of the first American practitioners of the Suzuki method of violin teaching and she continued to teach into her nineties.  

Perhaps the most notable performance for Joan and The Strings was playing for President Ronald Reagan in 1983.

Joan married John J. “Pat” Rooney of Port Washington in 1966. He predeceased her in 1976.  

She is survived by her loving stepchildren Ellen Rooney of Boston, Maureen Rooney (Charlie Greenleaf) of Alexandria, Va., and John P. “Jack” Rooney (Patti) of Mequon. She is further survived by her grandchildren Andrew (Lorraine) Rooney of Mequon, Elizabeth Johnson (Eric) of Chicago, Stephen (Allison) Rooney of Shorewood and Michael (Marisa) Rooney of Cedarburg and by great-grandchildren Olivia, Walter, Ada and Charlie Rooney.  

She was preceded in death by her sisters and brothers-in-law Mary (Lee) Zawasky, Julianne (Owen) Ward and Ruth (Walter) Burczyk. She was also preceded in death by her infant brothers James and Gerald Sturm.  

She is further survived by her nieces and nephews Mark Zawasky, Mary Ruth Ward (James Walrath), Timothy (Diana Nickerson) Ward, Terri Wieck, Chris (Burt) Allen, Martha Burczyk and Paul (Lori) Burczyk.

The family is grateful to Lori Ruelle, Mary Suran, Christine Betka, Dr. Scot Wilfong, the team at Newcastle Place and the nurses at Lawlis Family Hospice for all they have done to help care for Joan.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at noon Thursday, May 15, at St. Mary’s Church, 451 N. Johnson St. in Port Washington, preceded by visitation beginning at 10 a.m.  

Memorials may be given for Masses at St. John XXIII Parish in Port Washington or to Portal Inc., Grafton.

Eernisse Funeral Home of Port Washington is assisting the family with arrangements.  

Online condolences may be left at www.eernissefuneralhome.com.