Paul J. Cooney, age 93, of Spearfish, SD and formerly of Kennebec, SD died peacefully on February 21, 2022. Funeral services will be at St. Michaels’s Church in Kennebec at 11:00 on Saturday, March 5th with military graveside services by Legion Post #0179. Lunch and reception will follow the graveside rites in the church hall. The services can be viewed in the box below the day of the services.

Paul was born to Rose L. (Schoenfelder) and James B. Cooney on November 11, 1928 at Dimock, SD. He attended school both in Kennebec and Notre Dame High School in Mitchell. He joined the Air Force on September 5, 1950. After a short training period in Chanute, IL he was stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City. On December 25, 1950 Paul married Virginia Flint. Following his discharge he worked for Western Chevrolet as a salesman in Mitchell, later purchasing a gravel truck and then driving coast to coast for a trucking firm. In 1956 they returned to Kennebec. Paul had a number of jobs in his early career, including helping build Kennebec’s first concrete grain elevator, running a caterpillar for Lyman County, mechanic for Merten’s Chevrolet and he had a weekend welding business in his shop behind their house. On August 13, 1965 Paul became the Kennebec Postmaster and remained in that position until he retired in 1990.

Paul was a longtime member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, the American Legion, and Town & Country Club. He was President of the TCC and also Kennebec Fire Chief for a while. Because he was a frequent volunteer in the community, he was named Citizen of the Year in 1984.

Paul taught himself to play guitar, playing and singing in local bands before forming the band “The Mixtures.” The band played in many surrounding bars and dance halls as far away as Mitchell. During his retirement years he and his good friend D.J. Mertens restored a number of Cadillacs and he also rode motorcycles until 2003. He loved riding with his local buddies, including riding to and camping out at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally several times. One of his last rides was along the Mississippi with his oldest son, Jim. He stopped after riding along the curvy river road, stopped and grinned at his son and said, “can life get any better than this”.

He and his wife Virginia moved to Mitchell in 2006. Virginia passed away in 2016. In 2018 he and his daughter Mary Jo moved to Spearfish where his oldest boy, Jim lives. His favorite activity during his final years was taking rides up Spearfish Canyon. He loved that Canyon, taking his last ride through it two weeks before he died.

He is survived by his five children, Jim (Gretchen) of Spearfish, SD; Mary Jo Long of Spearfish, SD; Paula (Bob) Gibson of San Diego, CA; John “Jack” of West Sacramento, CA; and Mike of Naples, FL; his grandchildren, Travis, Garrett, and Barry Long; Brandi Black; Paul Cooney, Elizabeth Crum, and Spencer Gibson; great-grandchildren Austin, Shelby, Whitney, Jade, Dominic, Haley Mae, Colleen, Skylar, Preston, Aubrey, Beckham, Parker, and Lennox; great-great grandchildren Ellie, Kashton, Natalie and Portlynn.

Preceding his death were his parents, his wife Virginia, his son David, and his great grandson Kordai Crum.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be directed to the Kennebec Senior Center.

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