Obituary of M. Lynn Wilder Cooney

M. Lynn Wilder Cooney of Liverpool died Saturday, October 30, 2004 at St. Josephs Hospital. She was born December 13th in Sturgeon Bay, WI, she lived most of her adult life in the Baldwinsville area. She worked as a portrait colorist for Carnation Studios; drove school bus for the Baldwinsville Schools for 9 years; owned the Baldwinsville School of Dance where she taught ballet, jazz, tap, and Appalachian clogging for 15 years. Lynn graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1985 and worked as Nurse Manager of the Nurses’ Professional Registry for 3 years and then for the Poison Control Center of CNY for seven years, retiring in 2001. She then worked as a substitute Teaching Assistant for the Baldwinsville School District. Lynn was a long-standing member and past Board Member of the Baldwinsville Theater Guild, for which she choreographed and performed in many productions. She performed for Theater 90; for 14 years she was a judge for the NY State Fair Talent Competition and also the NY State Talented Miss Competition. She was a den mother in Cub Scout Pack 103 for 10 years. Lynn was very active in the Grace Episcopal church, where she was involved with Altar Guild, Nursery, as a member of the Vestry, an advisor to the Youth Group, and as a Sunday School Teacher. Her interests and activities also included participation as an active Board Member of McHarrie’s Legacy for 14 years, where she wrote and directed 2 produtions each year at Shacksboro Schoolhouse Museum; she played trumpet for the Baldwinsville Community Band; was a room mother for VanBuren Elementary School and worked as an usher at the Onondaga Civic Center. Lynn was a season ticket holder for SU sports. She enjoyed golf and for two years was President of Foxfire’s 18 Hole Women’s League. Her hobbies included needlecraft and gardening. She was predeceased by her first husband, F.F. “Pete” Wilder, her sister, Sally McCoy, and her half brother, Fred Merrill. Survivors: her husband Paul T. Cooney of Liverpool, three sons, Michael of Moscow, Russia, Mark (and Lee Wilder and daughters, Danielle and Mallory) of Baldwinsville, Peter (Kim Bland and children, Jessica and Liam) of Pompey; her sister, Gretchen Schanz and husband Ron of Milwaukee, WI; her half-sister, Lynn Beck and her husband Dick of Florida; her mother-in-law, Gladys R. Wilder of Jamesville; several nieces, nephews and cousins. Services: 10:00am Wednesday, November 3, 2004 at Grace Episcopal Church, 110 Oswego Road, Baldwinsville. Calling hours are 1-3 & 5-8pm Tuesday, November 2, 2004 at the Falardeau Funeral Home, 93 Downer St., Baldwinsville. Contributions: In lieu of flowers to the Baldwinsville Theater Guild, ATTN: M. Lynn Wilder Cooney MF, PO Box 87, Baldwinsville, NY 13027. or McHarrie’s Legacy, Shacksboro Schoolhouse Museum, 46 Canton St., Baldwinsville, NY.