Matthew “Dutch” Rooney.

By Michael Mashburn From Daily Voice

Matthew “Dutch” Rooney, a beloved writer, arts patron, and longtime supporter of ballet and opera, died Friday, Aug. 15, at his home in East Hampton. He was 51.

Rooney was born Nov. 11, 1973, in Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania, the son of JoAnn (Wallace) Rooney and the late John Rooney, according to his obituary. 

He attended Gwynedd Mercy Academy and The Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University and a Master’s from Columbia University, where he won several writing awards.

Rooney was active in New York’s arts community. He served as vice chair of the Allegro Circle for the New York City Ballet and was a member of the board of directors at the Metropolitan Opera of New York.

In a tribute on Instagram, fashion designer Joshua Kamei described Rooney as “a kind, familiar face at the ballet — someone who had a special way of making others feel welcome and celebrated.”

Kamei said Rooney had recently offered to support Callen-Lorde, an organization that provides healthcare to the LGBTQ+ community, noting, “We’re all in this together.”

On Facebook, Merey Melley remembered him as “the brightest, most special light in any room” with “a brilliant mind” and “the biggest heart.”

Writer Maureen Footer wrote that Rooney “had an extraordinary gift for friendship” and “was an inspiring vice chair of the Allegro Circle at his beloved New York City Ballet.” She also praised his writing as “profound, true, and revealing.”

Rooney spent many years living between New York and Los Angeles before settling in Brooklyn Heights and later East Hampton. His memorial described him as “one of life’s last true Dandies and an authentic Bon Vivant.”

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, at St. Helena Catholic Church in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania.