Sweeney, John Henry (1902-1925)

SWEENEY, KNUTH

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 10/12/2025 at 15:29:31

Stratford Courier, Stratford, Iowa
February 19, 1925

POPULAR YOUNG MAN DIED IN DES MOINES AFTER SHORT ILLNESS
The sudden death of John Sweeney at Des Moines late last Wednesday was a real blow to his relatives and to his many friends in this community for it was not known that he was ill until Wednesday forenoon when his father was called to Des Moines. He was taken sick on Sunday evening and on Monday died not go to his work. He had eaten some candy which it was thought was the cause of his illness and on Monday when a doctor was called he also thought that his illness was caused by poisoning from candy. On Tuesday he was able to be up but on Wednesday when he died not materially improve doctors were again called and after a consultation it was decided that an operation must be performed at once. He was at once taken to the Lutheran hospital and operated on about noon. He passed through the operation all right but did not regain consciousness due to very low blood pressure and died about 5 o'clock. It was known then that his trouble was acute appendicitis and that the appendix had burst and so saturated his system with poison that he could not recover.
"Jack," as was popularly known here and in Des Moines, was one of the popular young men of Stratford and his sudden passing caused the deepest and sincerest sorrow among his young friends here as well as in Des Moines.

Obituary
John Henry, son of Henry F. and Anna [Knuth] Sweeney, was born in Stratford, May 26, 1902, and died at the Lutheran hospital in Des Moines on Feb. 11, 1925, at the age of 22 years, 8 months, 15 days.
He attended the Stratford schools, graduating with the Class of 1921. For a time he worked here in the post office as clerk resigning that position to secure for himself a business education in 1923 he went to Des Moines where he entered the Capitol City Commercial College and completed the course there with real credit to himself and would have graduated with his class on February 19th, a week following his death. He was very ambitious in his studies and during his education worked for the Bankers Life Insurance company where he was employed at the time of his passing.
He leaves to mourn his early passing, his bereaved father and mother, one sister, Miss Luella of Boone, an aged grandfather and aged grandmother, and many hosts of sorrowing and truly bereaved friends.
He was a member of the local camp of the M.W.A. and this fraternity attended the funeral services in a body. In this order he was a highly esteemed member.
The remains were shipped to this place and funeral services were held from the home and from the M.E. church Sunday afternoon. The large number of beautiful floral pieces and the very large number of people who attended these services attests to the love everyone and for the departed one. The services were conducted by Rev. Flesher and were very impressive and the remains were interred in Oakwood cemetery where the very pretty M.W.A. burial service was given in connection with the regular burial service.
The following extract from a letter written to Mr. and Mrs. Sweeney by the president of the college of which John was a student is but another commendation as to the character of this young man.
"The death of Jack came as a very great shock to all of us. He had been with us at a school party only a few nights before and was apparently well although he complained to some of his friends of not feeling quite well.
"We want you to know that you and your family have our most profound and sincere sympathy, as well as that of the faculty and student body, and that if there is any way in which we can aid you in this hour of sorrow, we are ready and anxious to do it.
"You may always have the consolation that your son was an ambitious, earnest, up-standing boy, and that his record with us is all that you would wish."

The following out-of-town relatives and friends attended the funeral: Mrs. Emma Maas, and two sons; John Peters, two sons and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Will Heinieman, Misses Bertha and Louise Naave, Mrs. Clarence Blocker, all of Ogden. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Schmalfeldt and son, Myoming, Iowa; Mrs. Albert Johnson, Burnside; Mrs. Mabel Johnson, Gordon, Nebr.; Miss Boettcher, supt and Miss Karsell, asst. supt., of the hospital in Boone; and Misses Meegan and Hieniman, student nurses; Snub Pollard, Miss Ada Kolb, Jay Stevens, August Diekman, Mrs. Ed Airhart and son, Arthur, all of Boone. The following people from the Bankers life Insurance Co. of Des Moines: Mrs. Ruth Fray, Miss Ruth Ranney, Mrs. Gaeta Gates, Albert Carlson, Virgil Hohl. The following roommates: G.H. Brockaway, Don McKain, Orval Badger, Roman Constable, Frank Caulfield, Miss Bernice Rushing, a fellow employee of Harris-Emery; Mr. and Mrs. Byers and daughter, Mary, of Colo.