Joseph F. Sweeney's Obituary
Mr. Joseph F. Sweeney, 77, a life long resident of Lawrence died on Thursday, January 31st at Holy Family Hospital after a brief illness. He was predeceased by his loving wife Pauline (Brousseau) who died on July 16, 2006.During his lifetime he served as a husband, father, Veteran, Union Labor Leader, Management Official and a community activist. He was born the 3rd child of the late Lawrence Police Captain George C. and Mary A. Sweeney and has lived in that home all his life. He was educated in Lawrence schools and was a member of the Lawrence High School graduating class of 1947. He attended the Mass Radio and TV School in Boston, MA and graduated as a certified technician in 1949. He was drafted into the US Army in September 1951 and received his Honorable Discharge from the Korean War in September 1953 having received the rank of Corporal. Joe began his AT&T career in 1953 as an electronic tester at the then Western Electric Company in Lawrence. From 1957 to 1970 he was the first union president, leading the CWA local 1365 which represented 7,000 hourly employees of Western Electric. In 1971 he joined AT&T and retired as the Public Relations Manager in 1996. Over the years Joe held numerous elected and honorary posts. Notable among these is being named as one of the two Outstanding Young Labor Leaders in the United States in 1960 by the AFL-CIO. In 1990 he received the Boy Scouts of America Lord Baden Powell Award for Distinguished Citizenship. He is survived by his two children, his daughter: Paula Jean and her husband Christopher Zoltko of Derry, NH his son: Thomas Joseph and his wife, Barbara (Baggett) Sweeney of Salem, NH. Joe is survived by his five grandchildren, Andrew & Emily Zoltko and Thomas, Deborah and Joseph Sweeney. Besides his immediate family, Joe is survived by his sister Mary Fitzgerald. He was predeceased by his brother George. He also leaves several nieces and nephews. His funeral mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, February 5th, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. in Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Saint Augustine Chapel, 128 Ames St, Lawrence. Burial will follow at the Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Lawrence, MA. Family and friends may call on Monday, February 4th, 2008 from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 pm. at the John Breen Funeral Home, Inc, 122 Amesbury St, Lawrence. Please go to www.breenfuneralhome.com for online condolences and other information. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association or to the William L. Lane Cancer Center at the Carita Holy Family Hospital, 70 East St., Methuen, MA 01844
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