1921 – Kathleen Mary Malone Sweetman- 2017
Kathleen Sweetman was born on February 17, 1921 in Murray Township, Murray County, Minnesota to Patrick and Catherine Leonard Malone. Kathleen attended Country School District #46 and graduated in 1939 from Immaculate Heart of Mary High School in Currie, Minnesota. She then attended Clarke College in Dubuque, Iowa and later Minneapolis Business College. Following graduation Kathleen worked as a legal secretary in Minneapolis, Minnesota and San Francisco, California. While living on Lombard Street in San Francisco Kathleen worked in the TransAmerica Building. On December 28, 1948 she and John Sweetman were married at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Currie. Following their marriage they farmed east of Currie and raised their nine children. In 1980 they moved to a home on the north shore of Lake Shetek. John passed away on October 13, 1993. Kathleen remained in her home until 2010 when she moved in with her son William and daughter-in-law Pamela. After suffering a stroke in December 2016 Kathleen moved to Marie Steiner Kelting Hospice Home in Chaska, Minnesota where she passed away on Saturday, January 21, 2017 at the age of 95. She was a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Currie where she was active in the Altar Society, Catholic Daughters of America and taught CCD classes. Kathleen served on the Murray County Hospital Board, was a 4-H Leader and a hospice volunteer. Kathleen loved to travel. She traveled to Russia during the communist era, Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, France, Ireland (where her father was born) and several other countries. Kathleen enjoyed gardening, bird watching, reading, knitting, politics, and playing cards and other games with her children and grandchildren.
Survivors include her eight children and their spouses: Kathleen Sweetman and James Waight, Orono, MN, William and Pamela Sweetman, Tracy, MN, Edward and Mary Sweetman, Tracy, MN, Frances and Victor Larson, St. Cloud, MN, Patrick Sweetman, Currie, MN, Phillip and Shelley Sweetman, Tracy, MN, James and Mary Sweetman, Tracy, MN, and John and Lisa Sweetman, Slayton, MN; 20 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; one sister Ellen Salter, Lake Forest, Il; one sister-in-law Marcia Lowe, Mendota Heights, MN and several nieces and nephews and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband John; son Roger; two grandsons: Sean Patrick Sweetman and Tristan John Sweetman; two brothers and their spouses: James and Rita Malone and Patrick and Jean Malone; two brothers-in-law: Edwin Salter, and George (Dave) Lowe; three sisters-in-law and their spouses: Frances and Gus Blenkush, Glenna and Charles Miller, and Mary and Ed Prieto.
Funeral services will be held Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Currie, MN on Thursday, January 26, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. with Msgr. R. Paul Heiting officiating. The organist is Patty LeClaire. The song leaders are LoAnn Hansen and Kris Hansen. The pallbearers are her grandchildren. Interment is a Calvary Cemetery in Currie, MN.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, January 25, 2017 at IHM Church in Currie from 4:00-7:00 p.m. with a CDA Rosary at 4:30 p.m. Visitation will also be one hour prior to the services at the church on Thursday. Totzke Funeral Home of Slayton is entrusted with arrangements. To send condolences visit totzkefuneralhome.com
