YARMOUTH — Celia Galli Mooney, of Yarmouth and formerly of Orchard Street in Portland, died Aug. 12 at the age of 96.

Mooney was born Aug. 8, 1918, to Antonio C and Mary Moscone Galli, the second of six children. She graduated from Deering High School in 1936 and from Westbrook College in 1938. She married Benedict E. Mooney in 1952, and together the couple raised four children.

Mooney participated in many clubs and organizations in her lifetime, and was always a willing volunteer. In her youth, she was a member of a volunteer committee for the USO, and would later regale her children with stories of the fun she enjoyed in that role. She was a member of the St. Patrick’s Church Women’s Council for many years, and served with her children’s parent-teacher association. She also was an active volunteer at Mercy Hospital, and helped with voting on Election Day.

Her hobbies included playing bridge, knitting, reading, dancing, and cooking. But what she loved most was spending time with family.

Mooney was predeceased by her husband of 37 years, Benedict; her brothers, Arthur, Norman and James; and sisters Marion Morris and Dorothy Peverada.

She is survived by her four children, Thomas Mooney, of Gray, Mary Rutherford, of Yarmouth, Dorothy Papi and husband, Chris, of Windham, and Joyce Sternitzke and husband, Richard, of Herndon, Virginia. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Visitation was held Aug. 14, followed by a Mass of Christian burial at St. Joseph’s Church, in Portland. Interment was at Calvary Cemetery in South Portland.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mooney’s memory to the Barron Center Activity Fund, 1145 Brighton Ave., Portland, ME 04102.

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