Nancy was born in Winchester, MA on February 21, 1930 to William and Rose O’Brien Mulcahy. Nancy graduated from Mt. Ida College in Newton, MA. In 1953, she married Lyle Wolcott Sweet of Rochester, NH, a graduate of Bowdoin College in Brunswick, ME. Mr. Sweet preceded her in death on January 12, 1986. She was also preceded in death by her sister Jean Cronin and cousin Marilyn Teel.
The Sweets lived in Topeka, KS, Glens Falls, NY and Richmond, VA before finding the perfect place to raise their young family in Harrisonburg in 1957. Over the years, Nancy devoted her considerable energy and talents to enriching the lives of her four children and the community she loved. She served as Girl Scout Leader of Troop 478. She was the President of the Harrisonburg High School PTA, the Spotswood Garden Club, the Ladies Sodality of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, and the Harrisonburg Junior Women’s Club. She also served on the Harrisonburg City School Board and the Board of the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival.
In 1968, Nancy received Harrisonburg Business and Professional Woman’s Club “Woman of Achievement” award in recognition of her service. In 1974, she was appointed as the first woman magistrate for the City of Harrisonburg, a position she held for many years.
This past July, as she had for 33 summers, Nancy drew her large family together to share lobster, fried clams, and memories at the Maine “cottage” in Boothbay Harbor, ME. She enjoyed watching her family sail and especially loved “her” high tides. This year, as every year, the Sweet, Cronin, Teel and Metcalf families gathered around Nan to celebrate milestones, birthdays, weddings, and graduations with cake, champagne, and toasts.
Mrs. Sweet is survived by her four children: Ann and husband Ron Binder of Media, PA; Dana Sweet, Jean Sweet, Patrick Sweet and wife Kelly, all of Harrisonburg; and eight grandchildren: Ryan Binder of Philadelphia; Rory Binder and wife Sarah; Reed Binder and wife Katherine; Wyatt Bricca and fiancé Rachel Wallace, all of Charleston, SC; Annie Bricca of Mill Valley, CA; Lyle Sweet of Atlanta, GA; Tyler Sweet of Winchester, VA; and Clay Sweet of Vienna, VA.
The Sweet family expresses their sincere appreciation to Linda Ehle and her family for their loving care of Nancy during these past five years.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested you give to a charity of your choice.
The funeral arrangements are by Lindsey Funeral Home in Harrisonburg.
Visitation at Lindsey from 5 – 7 pm on September 20, 2019. Celebration of life service will be held at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church on September 21, 2019 at 12 noon.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.lindseyharrisonburg.com.
