DENIS G. CLOONAN

Denis G. Cloonan, 67, of Aurora, IL (formerly of Schaumburg, IL), passed away unexpectedly on September 10th, 2025.

Denis was born in Chicago on July 2nd, 1958, to the late Maureen (née Laffey) and Festus Cloonan. He is survived by his daughters Dionna and Kira, many relatives, and cherished friends. He was preceded in death by his life companion, Sheryl Galli (d. 2012).

Denis built a career out of working with his hands, spending time as an electrician and carpenter in the US and a fisherman on the coast of Ireland.

Denis spent his free time working on crossword puzzles, telling stories, and spending time in nature. An avid animal lover, he rescued many different species throughout his life. Whether it was a raccoon, lemming, turtle, cat, rabbit, caterpillar, blue jay, robin, frog, or woodchuck, Denis seemed to attract animals in need, as he could come to their aid. Many of these animals became recurring characters in his favorite stories to tell, such as Tonka the baby raccoon (who slept inside a toy Tonka truck), Rascal the rescue tabby (who stayed inside his handmade outdoor cat sanctuary), or Little Dude the lemming (whom he lovingly fed fresh cherries).

Fascinated by nature and the beauty of God's creation, Denis loved to sit by a warm woodstove and reminisce about his days living in Ireland, where he held dual citizenship. While abroad fishing on the Atlantic, he even "adopted" a washed-up whale bone he affectionately called Snoopy.

Known to help a stranger, Denis would give the shirt off his back to assist a person in need. Whether pulling a broken-down car out of a ditch or delivering a loaf of soda bread to cheer someone up, he greatly valued serving others.

A celebration of Denis' life will take place on Saturday, October 4th, 2025 from 1:00-5:00pm at Michael's Funeral Home, 800 S. Roselle Road, in Schaumburg.

For information, please call 847-891-2900 or visit www.michaelsfh.com.