Ileen B. (Birdsell) Sweeney 1918-2006

BACHELDER, BIRDSELL, SWEENEY, BANNON, SCHULTE, SAMUAL, SOMMER, SPEHAR, COULTAS

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 11/16/2006 at 14:30:41

Ileen B. Sweeney

Ileen B. Sweeney, 88, of Waukon, died Tuesday, October 31, 2006 at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services were held Saturday, Nov. 4 at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Waukon, with Fr. Joseph Schneider, Rev. Msgr. Joseph Slepicka, Rev. Msgr. Ed Lechtenberg and Fr. Jerry Blake officiating. Burial was in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon.

Ileen B. (Birdsell) Sweeney was born October 12, 1918 in Fayette, the daughter of Earl and Mabel (Bachelder) Birdsell. While still very young, she moved with her family to Oelwein, where she graduated from Sacred Heart High School and later attended Upper Iowa College in Fayette.

In 1937 she married Ralph M. Sweeney at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Waukon. Ileen and Ralph lived their married life in Waukon, where they raised 11 children and she was active at St. Patrick's in Rosary Society and Bible Study.

Taking walks, playing golf and bridge, dancing and spending time with her family and many friends were some of her favorite pastimes. For 25 years she also enjoyed spending at least part of the winter in Florida.

Ileen was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Ralph, who died in 1981; a son Tim, who died in 1972; a grandson, Luke Schulte; a sister, Maxine Coultas; and a brother, Don Birdsell.

She is survived by 10 children, Sister Raeleen of Chicago, Pat Bannon of San Diego, CA, Ron Sweeney of Park Falls, WI, Sharon (Jim) Schulte of Waukon/Zephyrhills, FL, Fran (Denny) Samual of Granite Bay, CA, Michele Sweeney of Cedar Rapids, and Sandi (Clet) Sommer, Mick (Linda Quandahl) Sweeney, Jack (Bonnie Blake) Sweeney and Brian (Denise Thorstenson) Sweeney, all of Waukon; 28 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews Betty (Birdsell) Spehar, Bob Birdsell of Milwaukee, WI and Jerry and Bill Coultas of Texas.

Serving as casketbearers are Ron, Jack, Mick and Brian Sweeney, Clet Sommer, Jim Schulte and Denny Samual.

Waukon Standard, November 8, 2006