Robert Cooney

Robert Bishop Cooney
1953 – 2025
Robert Bishop Cooney – aka: Bobby, Bob, Fireman Bob, Crazy Bob (according to himself, because he worked with nitroglycerin). Bob was born on January 8, 1953 in the middle of a fierce Buffalo snow storm, to Robert B. Cooney and Barbara N. Bishop. He passed October 29, 2025 in Cottonwood Heights.
He grew up in West Seneca, New York. At age sixteen he was a volunteer fireman for the Vigilant Fire Company in West Seneca. He would run up the street and turn left, running to the firehouse nearly one mile away. He graduated from West Seneca East High School.
He came out West and attended what is now SLCC. A year later he served a mission in the England Central Mission, which he loved. After his mission he worked at Hercules Inc. as a fireman. He had a lifelong love of trains of any kind. He liked to build backgrounds and beautiful scenery for his model trains. He loved cooking and finding new recipes. He entered a chili contest in Las Vegas and came in 38th out of hundreds. Bob also was a UTA driver. He served a service mission on Temple Square for twenty years. He loved meeting and helping people. He also donated 80+ gallons of platelets.
He is survived by two sisters: Kathleen Randall and Judith Pfeil (Russell) of SLC, and one brother Peter Cooney (Molly) of NY. Three children: Robert Cooney, Sean Childers-Gray, and Kimberly Simonson, two grandchildren Jerilynn and Chandler, many nieces and nephews who have many fond memories of a fun uncle, many cousins and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
A viewing will be held 9:30 am – 10:45 am on Monday, November 3, 2025 with the funeral following at 11:00 am at Butler 20th Ward (1845 E. 7200 S., Cottonwood Heights). Interment to follow Elysian Burial Gardens (1075 E. 4580 S., Salt Lake City).
Streaming of services can be viewed at https://jenkins-soffe.com/obituaries/robert-cooney-2025