Colleen Mae LONEY

1928 - 2019

Age 90 of West St. Paul Colleen was born on March 17, 1928 to Stephen and Frances (Degnan) Cavanagh in St. Paul, MN. She passed away at the age of 90 on March 5, 2019. Colleen was a proud 1946 graduate of Monroe High School. She married Robert Loney in 1948. Bob died in the Korean War in 1950. Colleen was the first married woman allowed to enroll at the College of St. Catherine, where she graduated with a degree in elementary education. She received her Master's degree from the University of Minnesota. Colleen taught for over 30 years in the South St. Paul Public Schools. Colleen married Paul Loney, Sr. in 1959. Paul passed away in 1968. Colleen served on the Dakota County Housing Authority for 30 years, many of those years as the chairperson. For her dedication to providing affordable housing for all, the Housing Authority honored her by naming their West St. Paul building the Colleen Loney Manor. Colleen and 11 of her high school friends were a tight-knit group that referred to themselves as "The Club". Through good and bad times, The Club was there for each other. With Colleen's passing, only 3 of the 12 members remain. Colleen was a charter member of the Church of St. Joseph, West St. Paul, and a devout Catholic her entire life. She was also a life-long member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary. Colleen was preceded in death by her parents; her spouses Robert and Paul Sr., her brother James Cavanagh; and her sisters Patricia Ethier and Rosemary Coleman. She is survived by daughter Deborah (Joseph) Feist; sons Paul Jr. (Violet), Joseph (Kathleen), and David (Lynn) Loney; grandchildren Jason (Nikki) and Matthew Loney, Melissa (Ken) Lamb, Julie (Shawn) Henderson, Rebecca (Mickey) Bahe, Paul J. Loney III, Caitlin (Marcus) Vetter, Michael and Patrick Loney, Andrew (Jamie) Feist, Timothy Loney; and 14 great-grandchildren. A special thank you to Our Lady of Peace Hospice for their loving care in Colleen's final months. Mass of Christian Burial 11:00AM Tuesday, March 12 at the Church of St. Joseph, 1154 Seminole Ave., West St. Paul. Interment Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation at Willwerscheid West-Heights Chapel, 235 W Wentworth Ave., West St. Paul 4-8 PM Monday and at church 1 hour prior to Mass. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in memoriam to the Church of St. Joseph, West St. Paul or Our Lady of Peace Hospice, St. Paul.