Donald F. Sweeney Sr.
DRACUT Donald F. Sweeney Sr. 87, loving husband of Rose J. (Visocchi) Sweeney, died after a lengthy illness surrounded by his family, Saturday, November 23, 2013, at Wingate of Belvidere.
A son of the late Frank H. and the late Ada M. (Hathaway) Sweeney, he was born September 14, 1926, in Lowell, moving to Dracut at an early age. He was educated in the Dracut schools, until joining the United States Navy at the age of seventeen, serving during World War II in Normandy, North Africa, Sipan, the Philippines, and the Japan Occupation Force. After the War, he continued to serve through the Korean Conflict, joining the Army Reserve at the age of forty eight.
He returned to the area, working as a meat cutter for Swift & Company, Demoulas Supermarkets, and Hanscom Air Force Base, retiring in 1986.
Donald was a member of the Long Meadow Golf Club and the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars, Walker Rogers Post 662. He enjoyed time spent with family, especially his grandchildren and great grandchildren. His hobbies included reading, playing cards, taking trips to Foxwoods, and cooking. One of his proudest moments was the dedication of the Sweeney Brothers Memorial Square at the corner of Broadway and Loon Hill Road.
In addition to his loving wife of sixty two years, Rose, he is survived by his three sons, Donald F. Sweeney Jr. and his wife, Janis, of Dracut, Gary D. Sweeney and his wife Trisha of Belmont, NH, and John C. Sweeney and his wife, Lisa, of Dracut; his five grandchildren Scott, Jeremy, Melodee, Casey and Brandon Sweeney; three step grandchildren, Anthony, Alex, and Jonathan Schiripo; his six great grandchildren; his sisters, Helen Murphy of Maine, and Shirley M. Zouvelos of Pelham, NH, his brothers and sisters in law, Sylvia and her husband Dick Allard of Chelmsford, Barbara Visocchi of Lowell, Charles and Rachel Visocchi of Connecticut; and many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his granddaughter Beth Sweeney, who died in 1980, and predeceased by his brothers, Francis Sweeney, Charles Sweeney, Richard Sweeney, Norman Sweeney, and his sister Dorothy McKenzie.
YOU ARE INVITED TO HIS CALLING HOURS 4 UNTIL 8 P.M. ON TUESDAY, NOV 26. ON WEDNESDAY, HIS FUNERAL WILL BEGIN AT 8 A.M. AT THE MCDONOUGH FUNERAL HOME, 14 HIGHLAND STREET, LOWELL 978-458-6816. HIS FUNERAL MASS WILL BE OFFERED AT ST. FRANCIS CHURCH, 115 WHEELER RD., DRACUT, AT 9 A.M.. BURIAL IN ST. MARY CEMETERY. MEMORIALS IN HIS NAME MAY BE MADE TO THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, 30 SPEEN STREET, FRAMINGHAM, MA 01701 OR TO THE NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS FOUNDATION, MASS CHAPTER, 101 FIRST AVE, WALTHAM MA 02154. E-CONDOLENCE SITE WWW.MCDONOUGHFUNERALHOME.COM
