Don J. Roney

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Don J. Roney

August 13, 1936 ~ March 2, 2020

Don J. Roney was born August 13, 1936 in Fairbury, Nebraska to Clyde and Helyn Roney. He passed away at home surrounded by family on March 2, 2020.

Don is survived by Diane Badovinatz Roney, his wife of 48 years; and three children, Mary Roney of Portland, Oregon, Michael (Wendy) Roney of Salt Lake City and Annie Roney (Rob Dolezal) of Tiburon, California. He has four grandchildren: Andrei and Milan Dolezal, and Kate and Erin Roney.

A graduate of Judge Memorial Catholic High School, Don graduated cum laude from The University of Notre Dame in 1958 in business administration as a distinguished military graduate, and eight years later was honorably discharged with the rank of captain.

Don joined Continental Agency Company of Salt Lake City in 1959, which, despite it changing hands over the course of his career, he served continuously, being promoted to president, COO and eventually CEO of Rollins, Burdick Hunter. In 1996, he started his own insurance company, and in honor of his beginnings named it Continental Insurance Agency LLC, where he was president until he sold the company in 2003.

In his lifetime he served many professional organizations and volunteer groups, notably as the president and on the board of directors for the Salt Lake Jaycees, the board of governors for The Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, as Utah State Bar Citizens Advisory Committee chairman, board member of The Salt Lake Country Club and a member of the executive committee for The Cathedral Restoration Project.

He had a passion for sunshine, golf and The Fighting Irish. Above all things, he deeply loved and cared for his wife, children and grandchildren, and was proud of them all.

He was preceded in death by his parents, great-aunts Nelle and Crystal Roney, uncle Merle Roney, in-laws George and Ruby Badovinatz, and son-in-law James Britt.

A funeral Mass was celebrated March 11 at St. Ambrose Catholic Church. Burial followed at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF Utah Chapter), 132 South 600 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84102 or Catholic Community Services of Utah, 745 East 300 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84102.