Preston H. Roney

On February 20, 1926 in John A. Andrews Hospital, Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, Preston Harvey Roney began life’s journey. He was the second of four children and the only son of Preston Sr., and Blanche Dawson Roney. “Bud”, as he was affectionately called by his father, received his early education at the Tuskegee Institute Laboratory School and the Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis, Indiana.One of his high school graduation gifts was a summons to serve his country during World War, II. He served in the U. S. Navy until the close of the war when he was honorably discharged. As a young Navy veteran he began his college career at West Virginia State College. Transferring to Indiana University as a sophomore, Preston received the Bachelor of Arts degree and the Master of Arts Degree in Education from Indiana U. Mr. Roney was also a John Hay Fellow in HumanitiesDuring the early seventies the Rockefeller Foundation named Mr. Roney as cohort of twenty outstanding administrators in the United States destined to reshape public education. He retired in 1992 from the Baltimore Public School System where his administrative roles included Regional Superintendent and serving as a mentor to some of Baltimore’s best school administrators and citizens.When Preston moved his family to Baltimore, Grace Presbyterian Church became their church home. He was and ordained Presbyterian Elder, a former Sunday School Superintendent and served on numerous local and national church committees. He enjoyed working with the Evangelism Ministry, the John T. Colbert Chapter of Presbyterian Men, singing in the Chancel Choir and loved to cook for different Grace Church events.Mr. Roney gave back to the community through his affiliations with the Boy Scouts of America, the Optimists, the American Red Cross, Associated Black Charities, the Alliance of Black School Administrators, the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development and the T and T Golf Club. As a T and T Golf Club member, he helped to organize golf tournaments for scholarships and other charities and coached young people interested in learning more about golf. He was a fifty plus year’s member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and a 33rd Degree Prince Hall Mason.Preston is survived by his loving wife of fifty years, Gwendolyn Hurtt Roney. Treasuring his memory, also, is his daughter, Tanya Roney Debnam, his grandchildren, Trevor, Travis, Tyana and Joseph Tyler (J.T.); sisters, Dr. Blanche Dobbs and Lillian Mooney; nephews, Phillip Snorden (Lorraine), Richard Wharton (Sandra), John Wharton, and Julian and Stanley Mooney; nieces, Kandy Dobbs Outlaw (Gary) and Jacquelyn Brooks (Charles) and great nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his son, Todd Duane; his older sister, Harriett Snorden and nephew Solomon Mooney.

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Preston H. Roney

February 20, 1926 - November 30, 2004