Margaret Mary Mooney

Margaret (Peg) Mooney (nee Corkery), formerly of McLean, Virginia, passed away at INOVA Alexandria Hospital on July 26, 2013 at the age of 85. A lifelong Washingtonian, Peg was born in the District and raised in Arlington, VA. She graduated high school from St. Patrick’s Academy in 1946, and graduated from Georgetown University School of Nursing in 1948, receiving her BS from the University in 1950. After graduation from Georgetown, Peg began her nursing career at Georgetown University Hospital and started her family. After several years, she travelled overseas with her former husband Robert J. Mooney in his career with the US State Department. She was most fortunate to be able to continue to practice nursing during various assignments in Southeast Asia. During a devastating flood in 1966 in Vientiane, Laos, in the absence of a physician, she was responsible for the health care of over 300 Americans, Laotians, and Thais in the American compound. Peg also set up a temporary dispensary, and provided inoculations for cholera and typhoid to over 900 people and treated numerous accidental injuries. She received a special commendation award from Ambassador William H. Sullivan, for her outstanding actions during this crisis. She also initiated and implemented health-screening services for American school children in Bangkok, Thailand and later established a similar program for American, Laotian and Thai school children in Vientiane, Laos. She received a Meritorious Award from the American Charge D’Affairs, Emory Swank, for the exceptional nursing care she provided to these children. In between overseas assignments, Peg worked at Georgetown University Hospital. Her thirty-year career caring for patients included serving in various nursing and management positions within the Department of Nursing. Peg loved nursing and her fondest professional memories were of the time she spent at Georgetown University Hospital. She was inducted for membership in the Kappa Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau National Honor Society in 1975. After retirement in 1992, Peg worked full-time at the Dominican Priory House in Washington, DC helping to establish an assisted living facility for priests, and later volunteered at Saint John the Beloved Catholic Church thrift store in McLean, VA. A crossword and Jeopardy enthusiast, Peg enjoyed current events, the theatre, travel, playing canasta with her dear friends in her card club and most of all she loved spending time with her family. Peg was the beloved mother of Patrick (Deborah) of Albuquerque, NM; Timothy of Arlington, VA; and Frances (Kevin) of McLean, VA. She leaves behind her dear brother Timothy Corkery (Judith) of Providence, RI. Her older sister Dorothy K. Corkery died in May 2010. Peg was a proud and loving grandmother to Teri Keyton, Michael Mooney, Christopher Mooney and Caitlyn Fischer; and aunt to Laura Corkery Zaglin (Bob). Friends and family are invited to attend a mass and memorial service at 10:00am on Saturday, August 24, 2013 at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church, 630 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to MedStar Georgetown University Hospital KIDS Mobile Medical Clinic or to Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School.

The Mooney Family will always be most grateful for the care and concern that was provided to our mother over the last several years by the staff of the Fountains at Washington House in Alexandria, VA.