West Nottingham, NH

Lt Col (Ret) Thomas Loron Sweeney, a resident of West Nottingham for 52 years, died October 21st after a long period of declining health.

Born in Berlin on October 13, 1940, he was the sixth son and seventh child of Francis (Sr.) and Evelyn Sweeney. Called Loron by his family and community, he was raised in the Great North Woods where he enjoyed hunting and fishing with his father and brothers. He graduated from Berlin High School before heading south to attend the University of NH where he became known as Tom.

Upon graduation from UNH, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the US Army Corps of Engineers. He first attended the Army Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, VA, before being assigned to the 86 ^th Engineers at Fort Dix, NJ. From there, he was deployed to the 70 ^th Engineer Battalion in support of the 1 ^st Cavalry in An Khe, Vietnam.

Completing his two-year tour, he returned to civilian life, employed first by the NH DOT in highway design for three years before becoming an environmental administrator in what is now the NH Department of Environmental Services for the next nineteen years. He then joined Dufresne-Henry in Manchester (now Stantec), working as a project engineer, retiring in 2013.

In addition to his active duty, Tom spent another twenty-six years in the Army Reserves. His assignments included the 368 ^th Engineer Battalion where he rose to battalion commander, the 94 ^th ARCOM (schools officer), and the 167 ^th Support Group (Executive Officer).

Too, Tom was involved in his church, serving on the parish council and being a cantor at St. Joseph Church, Northwood, for several years. For more than 25 years, he sang with the folk group at the Church of St. Thomas More in Durham. More recently, he sang with the adult choir at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Alton.

In addition, Tom sang for several summers with the NH Music Festival Orchestra Chorus in Plymouth. He also served as assistant cubmaster for the Nottingham Cub Scouts when his son was a Cub Scout.

For over forty-five years, Tom was involved in the Town of Nottingham, serving on the Planning Board, several building committees, and the CIP, as well as serving as assistant moderator for several Town and School District Meetings. In the dedication in the 2015 School District Report, the School Board wrote, Tom "is a person of integrity and a gentleman, a true asset to the Nottingham community."

Tom was never someone to stand idle and leave matters to others when there was work to be done. Whether called by his country, his state, his church, or his town, he could be counted on to serve, striving in all situations to do the right thing and find the right solution.

Most important of all to Tom, however, was his family. As a devoted father, he was an ever-present role model who always made time for his children, from his perennial presence on the sidelines of games and meets to endless games of pickup basketball in the driveway to evenings of shared music and singing around the piano. He would never pass up a game of cribbage--which he usually won. As the family grew to include grandchildren, who adored him, he was never happier than when he took care of them, played games with them, or just made them laugh. For all whom he loved, he had a huge smile and arms wide open for a great big hug. His devotion to Linda served as a shining example of what a husband should be.

Tom is survived by Linda, his wife of fifty-eight years, their son Christopher (his wife Christine Crabb and their daughters Fiona and Cecilia) of Piermont, their daughter Brenda Irwin (her husband Keith and their daughters Amelia and Emma) of Somersworth, and their daughter Caitlin Potter (husband Eric and their children Aidan and Abigail) of Barrington. He is also survived by his brothers Robert of Middletown, CT, and Michael of Sheridan, AR, two brothers-in-law, four sisters-in-law, and many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.

He was predeceased by his parents; his sister Carolyn; and his brothers Donald, Richard, Francis, and James.

Because of COVID-19, the family will not have calling hours. A private funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Katharine Drexel Parish, Alton, by Fr. Robert F. Cole, pastor. Family and friends are welcome at the burial with full military honors on Saturday, October 31 ^st , at 1:15 p.m. at the Durham Cemetery. Masks and social distancing are respectfully requested.

Please omit flowers. Should friends desire, a donation in memory of Tom to either NH Catholic Charities or the American Heart Association would be appreciated.

Funeral arrangements are by the Peaslee Funeral Home of Alton.