With a smile that could light up a room and a personality that could charm all who were in that room, it is with broken hearts and much sorrow that Nora, Joe, Maddie and Amanda share the tragic news of the death of Joseph “Joey” Patrick Dunleavy on Sunday, April 25, 2021 at the age of 16.
Joey was preceded in death by his grandfather and everlasting-life-time buddy, Thomas “Pop-Pop” Dunleavy, grandfather, Daniel “Popo” Ruhland, and grandmother Mary Lou (nee Bernd) Ruhland.
Joey is survived by his mother and father, Nora and Joe Dunleavy, his sisters Maddie and Amanda, and his grandmother, Margaret (nee Rainsford) Dunleavy, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
Joey was a junior at Kingwood High School and a graduate of The Pines Montessori School in Kingwood. He was a member of the JV football team, a swimmer for the Greentree-Riverchase Gators, a member of the Kingwood Chapter of the Young Men’s Service League, an usher at St. Martha Catholic Church, and a volunteer at Jesse Jones Park. He is a former member of the Kingwood Football League where he met many of his closest friends.
Joey was a connoisseur of pancakes, Ritz crackers & peanut butter, Dr Pepper, anything grilled and his favorite, a “number 3” from What-a-Burger, with grilled onions and spicy ketchup. His childhood passion for green army men, grew into air soft, paint ball, and video games. He enjoyed tinkering with things and concocting the occasional experimental dinner recipe. He was passionate about grilling and no one made a better pot of coffee then our family barista. Time with his friends brought him such joy and each day he looked for opportunities to make new ones. A student of history and a lover of the men and woman of the United States Armed Forces, Joey dreamed of learning to fly and serving as a United States Marine.
His passing is hoped to be a wake-up-call to his family, friends and community about the destructive and insidious nature of depression and the lack of awareness and honest dialogue about the many people currently inflicted with this disease.
Life is a treasure hunt – you just need to know the treasure is your children, family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the JED Foundation (www.jedfoundation.org) to support programs for teens and young adults to prevent suicide, and CHADD Inc (www.chadd.org) to support research and programs for families struggling with ADHD.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.11.0