Eugene F Sweeney

Monson- Eugene F. Sweeney, 77, died suddenly October 7, 2017.  Gene was born in Philadelphia, PA, August 14, 1940 to the late Francis and Helen (Culver) Sweeney.  He was a graduate of Monson Academy and attended AIC and Wentworth College before joining the US Navy where he proudly served as Oil King on the destroyer USS Purdy.  After serving his country, Gene worked at Holyoke Hospital for 39 years retiring as their plant manager.

To say Gene was a husband and father of six is like saying Rembrandt was a painter and Earnhardt drove cars.  Gene blessed his family with his gifts of patience, compassion, consistency, and persistence, setting an extraordinarily strong but simple example for a life well-lived.  For decades, Gene worked two to three jobs at the same time in order to ensure his children could follow the vocational and educational paths of their choice. Never one to complain, Gene instead channeled the richness of those diverse experiences into his legendary stories and memorable nuggets of wisdom.  Gene’s love for his family was organic and unforced and unmistakably apparent from his daily routine.  He never raised his voice but managed to instill a powerful sense for why it’s important to live a life based on integrity and principle.  He took care of things…from the tools in his garage to the deepest challenges faced by his family members.  Gene’s granddaughter Katie expressed the sentiment in all of our hearts.  “He was the type of person that made tough situations easier, heavy hearts lighter, and bad days brighter - the kind of person I could use right now.”

Gene leaves his loving wife of 55 years, Carolyn M. (Hull) Sweeney and their children, Michael Sweeney of Grafton, John Sweeney and his wife Barbara of Monson, Robert Sweeney and his wife Kila of Nashville, TN, Kay Via and her husband Tom of Monson, Ann Fisher and her husband Jeff of Yardley, PA, Christine Liquori and her husband John of E. Longmeadow; a sister Mary Ellen Nocera and her husband Ed of Portland, CT; 14 grandchildren, Julia, Nicole, Joe, Katie, Jennifer, Samantha, Jared, Adam, Sylvia, Cara, Jake, Addison, Abigail and Sam; his beloved dog Pepper and many extended family members and friends.

Visiting hours will be held Wednesday October 11, 2017 from 4-7 at Lombard Funeral Home 3 Bridge St, Monson. Funeral services will be held Thursday October 12 with funeral procession forming at 9:15 at Lombard Funeral Home and Liturgy of Christian Burial at 10am in St. Patrick's Church burial will follow at Bethany Cemetery all in Monson.

In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Patrick's Restoration Fund PO Box 473 Monson, MA 01057 or Shriners Hospitals for Children, Springfield, 516 Carew St. Springfield, MA 01104.