Burgett H. Mooney Jr., 15 Horseleg Creek Road, chairman of News Publishing Co., and retired publisher of the Rome News-Tribune, died Monday after a short illness. He was 81.

Mr. Mooney was born on April 13, 1920, in Birmingham, Ala., the son of the late B.H. Mooney Sr., and Jane Farrell Mooney.

Mr. Mooney graduated from Sewanee Military Academy, Sewanee, Tenn., and Episcopal High School, Alexandria, Va. He then graduated from the University of Alabama in 1942, where he was a member of the Golf Team. He entered the U.S. Army, serving as a first lieutenant with the Americal Division in the Pacific Theater from June, 1942 to August, 1946. He was twice wounded in action and was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster.

Upon leaving the Army at the end of World War II, he joined the Rome News-Tribune as vice president. In 1959, he became publisher of the newpaper, a position he held for more than 26 years. He retired from full-time management of the paper in 1986.

Mr. Mooney had served as president of New Publishing Co., treasurer of Horseleg Land Co., former treasurer of the Shorter College Scholarship Fund Inc., director of the Coosa-Alabama River Improvement Assn., and former director of the National City Bank of Rome. He was a former member and president of the Rome Rotary Club, a member and director of the Rome Area Chamber of Commerce and the Coosa Country Club, and a member of the Callier Springs Country Club. He was a communicant of St. Peter's Episcopal Church.

Survivors include his wife of 56 years, the former Sibley Greer, to whom he was married June 13, 1945; one son, Burgett H. Mooney III, Rome; and three daughters, Mary Sibley Banks, Jane M. Morgan and Elizabeth M. Mozley, all of Rome; sons-in-law, Joe Morgan and Dan Mozley, Rome; nine grandchildren, Drenn Morgan, Eads M. Williams, Dean Morgan, Zan Banks, Lide Banks, Sibley Banks, Lynn Mooney, Beth Mooney and Sarah Mooney; and three great-grandchildren, Thomas Williams, Darby Morgan and Ruby Jane Morgan. Mr. Mooney was preceded in death by a half-brother, James Farrell Mann, and a half-sister, Dorothy Mann Rice.

A memorial service was held Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. Peter's Episcopal Church with the Rev. Roger Ard officiating. Private interment services followed in the Sunset Hill Memorial Gardens.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the Thornwood Restoration Endowment Fund, c/o Darlington School, 1014 Cave Spring Road, Rome, GA 30161, Community HospiceCare, P.O. Box 233, Rome, GA 30162-0233, or to the charity of your choice.