John Joseph Sweeney

John Joseph Sweeney, 89, beloved husband of Jean Byrnes Sweeney and devoted father and grandfather, died Sunday, August 5, at Hancock Hall in Danbury. John was a long-time Newtown Middle School teacher, an Army veteran of World War II, and a parish leader of St. Peter’s Church of Danbury.

Born in Lakeville, Conn., on July 1, 1923, John was a son of the late Michael and Ann O’Neill Sweeney. He was a graduate of Housatonic Valley Regional High School and Danbury State Teachers College (now Western Connecticut State University). He earned a master’s degree in education and a sixth-year degree from Columbia University in New York.

John volunteered for the Army after the outbreak of World War II. He served for three years in the Army Engineers, rising to the rank of staff sergeant. He served much of the time in the European Theater, stationed in England and France.

He married the former Jean Byrnes, a college classmate, in Danbury in April 1949. They lived for 50 years on Skyline Drive, Danbury, raising a family and befriending dozens of neighbors before moving recently to Brittania Drive, Danbury.

A member of St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, John was active in many aspects of parish life for several decades. Parishioners knew his strong voice as a lector who led Gospel readings during Mass, and they respected his good judgment as a parish trustee. While raising his two sons, John served as a Cub and Boy Scout leader in Danbury for many years.

John worked in the Newtown public schools for 36 years, teaching generations of students, primarily as an eighth-grade social studies teacher at Newtown Middle School. Whenever he ran an errand around the area, it was invariably punctuated by a warm greeting from a former student.

He was an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan, beginning as a young boy listening to the Gashouse Gang on the radio and continuing throughout his life. A caddie as a youth, he had a lifetime love of golf, which he passed on to his sons.

In addition to his wife of 63 years, he is survived by sons Robert, an attorney in New Haven, and Bill, an editor in New York. He leaves two daughters-in-law, Doretta Sweeney and Ellie Sweeney; two grandchildren, Maria Sweeney and Stephen Sweeney; and many nieces and nephews. John was predeceased by a son, Kevin, and by his brother and sister-in-law, James and Kathleen Sweeney.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday at 10:30am at St. Peter Church, Danbury. Burial will be on Friday at the convenience of the family in St. Peter Cemetery, Danbury. Friends will be received on Thursday morning from 9:00am to 10:00am at the Green Funeral Home, 57 Main St., Danbury. Contributions in Mr. Sweeney’s memory may be made to St. Peter Church, 104 Main St., Danbury, CT 0681 . Go to www.thegreenfuneralhome.com to express condolences on-line.