Jean Byrnes Sweeney, 89, beloved wife of the late John J. Sweeney and devoted mother and grandmother, died Sept. 18, 2014, at Hancock Hall. Jean, a Danbury native, was a longtime teacher and parish leader at St. Peter’s Church in Danbury.
Jean was born on February 7, 1925, daughter of the late Joseph and Katherine Keating Byrnes. She was a graduate of Danbury High School and Danbury State Teachers College (now Western Connecticut State University).
She married John Sweeney, a college classmate, in April 1949. They lived for 50 years on Skyline Drive, Danbury, befriending many dozens of neighbors before moving in 2006 to Britannia Drive, Danbury. John died in 2012 at the age of 89, after 63 years with his loving wife.
Jean was a longtime teacher in public and parochial schools. She started her teaching career in West Hartford and continued it in Weston. After taking a break for the birth of her sons, she returned to the classroom in 1969 at St. Peter’s School. She taught for 16 years at St. Peter’s before retiring in 1985.
A member of St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church of Danbury, Jean was active in many aspects of parish life for several decades. She served as a Eucharistic Minister for many years, delivering the sacrament of Communion to homebound parishioners and offering it to church-goers at weekly Mass. She also served as president and as a longtime member of the St. Peter’s Women’s Guild.
Jean and John traveled often in their retirement, and Jean wrote detailed journals of their travels. Jean was known for her baking, and she and John played frequent host to their many friends at dinner parties.
Jean is survived by two sons, Robert, an attorney in New Haven, and Bill, an editor in New York. She is predeceased by a son, Kevin. She leaves two loving daughters-in-law Doretta Sweeney and Ellie Sweeney; two grandchildren, Maria Sweeney of New York and Stephen Sweeney of Austin, Tex.; a nephew and his wife, Kevin and Laura Byrnes of Sparta, N.J., and their four children. The family thanks Hancock Hall for its excellent care of both Jean and John.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014 at 10:30am at St. Peter Church, Danbury. Burial will follow in St. Peter Cemetery, Danbury.
Friends will be received on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014 from 9am to 10am at the Green Funeral Home, 57 Main St., Danbury.
Contributions in Jeans memory may be made to St. Peter Church, 104 Main St., Danbury, CT 06810.
Sweeney, Jean B.
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