Audrey Rooney

1938 - 2025

Audrey Heyman Rooney, a longtime resident of Lexington, Ky. and Georgetown, Ky., and Queenstown and Chestertown, Md., died Oct. 4 in Lynchburg, Va. after a short illness. She was 86.

Born Oct. 25,1938 in Cleveland, Ohio, she was the daughter of Oliver Heyman and Vivian Vermeers and attended the Andrews School in Willoughby, Ohio and Hood College in Frederick, Md.

A painter, singer, poet and longtime patron of the arts, Mrs. Rooney served on the board of the Kentucky Bach Choir and founded the Audrey Rooney Vocal Competition at the University of Kentucky. She held advanced degrees in art history and history, and was a frequent and generous contributor to causes including Lexington's Carnegie Center for Literacy and various animal rescues.

Her passions also included world travel, her home and garden, beloved pets, and simply learning about the world and its religions, art, and people.

Mrs. Rooney was the spouse of James R. Rooney, former UK faculty member and director of the Gluck Equine Research Center, by whom she was preceded in death in 2008.

She was also preceded in death by her brother, Bruce Heyman, and grandson Colin Rooney.

Survivors include her children, Melinda Rooney of Annapolis, Md.; Alec Rooney of Bedford, Va.; grandchildren Katherine Mandzak, Benjamin Florsheim, Nathan Florsheim and Samuel Florsheim; and several cousins and nephews.

Burial will be private, in Maryland.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to BraveHearts Equine Center in Paris, Ky. (braveheartsequinecenter.com) or the Carnegie Center for Literacy.