RONALD WILSON LOONEY Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Ronald Wilson Looney, 82, of Catawba, passed away at his home on March 3rd, 2022, after a courageous battle with C.O.P.D. Ronnie was born on October 29th, 1939, and lived most of his life in Craig County, growing up in the community of his family’s namesake, Looney near Meadow Creek. After serving in the U.S. Army, Ronnie worked in several industries eventually retiring as a Transformer Repair Technician from Appalachian Power Company (AEP). Ronnie was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Helen Abbott Looney. He is survived by brother Richard Honts; sons and wives Jim and Kim Looney, David and Karen Looney, Mike and Rebecca Looney; grand-children Emily, Jonathan, Sara, Meaghan, great grandchildren Liam and Reece; step grand and great grand-children Amy, Tori, Eric, Levi, Jacob and Kai; many nieces, nephews, cousins and special friends Eddie Martin and Steve Carper. Ronnie was an absolute joy to be around. He greeted everyone with a smile and pleasant demeaner and any stranger would quickly become a friend. However, when it came to racing, he was extremely competitive, driving at the Pulaski Speedway and Roanoke Drag Strip in the ‘60s. Although the dirt track racing was fun, his successes came on the drag racing, winning numerous trophies. His passion for racing carried over to a lifelong appreciation of NASCAR races and his son, Mike’s successful racing career. A memorial service will be held Sunday, March 20th at the Paitsel Funeral Home in New Castle. Visitation will be from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. and service at 4:00 p.m. The family would like to thank the many V.A. healthcare professionals, Kindred Hospice staff, family, and special friends, Melissa Wrenn and Matt Peters, for their loving care during Ronnie’s illness. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to the Upper Craigs Creek Volunteer Fire Department at 4296 Upper Craigs Creek Rd. Catawba, VA 24070. More info at https://www.paitselfh.com/

RONALD WILSON LOONEY

March 3, 2022