James Marooney OBITUARY

James Marooney OBITUARY

James Marooney, born September 19, 1939, in Astoria, Queens, New York, to Grace and Joseph Marooney, passed away on February 4, 2026.

Educated at the University of Chicago, Jim co-founded Travel Time with his life partner, William “Bill” Buckley, in 1965. Together they built a private tour company that led small groups to exclusive destinations throughout Europe for more than four decades before retiring in 2007. He later served as a paralegal for the City of Chicago’s Department of Foster Care, where he helped advance legal protections for vulnerable children.

Jim was a beloved uncle whose warmth, charm, gift for storytelling, and love of spirited conversation about history, culture, and the world left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him.

He is survived by his older brother, Rich Marooney, and his nieces and nephews: Richard and Kerry Marooney; Corinne and Michael Updegrave; Michael Marooney; and Kristen and Kelly Walls.