Obituary of Gerald Sweeney

Gerald 'Jerry' Sweeney, 81, passed away at his home in Tucson, AZ on July 29th, 2012. He is survived by his children: daughter Alice and her husband Mike Domanico of Scottsdale; son John and his wife Rosanne Couston of Tucson; son Bob of Scottsdale; and daughter Katharine, her husband Vince O'Halloran and Jerry's beloved grandson and very best friend Peter Patrick O'Halloran of Seattle, WA. He joins his loving wife, Ruth, in heaven who pre-deceased him in May of 1983. Jerry was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 25th, 1930 to Gerald Francis 'Bob' Sweeney and Alice Rezarch Sweeney. He is preceeded in death by his parents and his two brothers, John Paul Sweeney and Daniel R. Sweeney. Jerry moved to Tucson in 1949 to attend the University of Arizona where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Catholic Fraternity and obtained a BS in Business Administration. Jerry worked at the Rillito racetrack in the early 1950's. His career at Pima County began in Automotive Services where he pumped gas and checked oil, from there he moved into the rights-of-way department as an assistant to the chief rights-of-way agent. Jerry then went back to school and obtained his J.D. in 1966 from the U of A Law School. After passing the bar, he then went to work for the Legal Aid Society. He returned to Pima County to serve as an Assistant County Attorney, and then once again in what is now known as Pima County Real Property Services. He retired from the county as Director of Property Management (Real Property Services) in 1989 and had a very active 23 years of retirement, continuing to practice law well into his 70s. Jerry served in many roles as an active member of the Knights of Columbus for 57 years, becoming a Fourth Degree Knight and Past Grand Knight. Jerry loved the outdoors and hiking, was an avid bird watcher and participated/supported the Southeastern Az chapter of the Audubon Society. A devout Catholic, Jerry attended Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church where he was Treasurer of the Choir, a lector for many years, and actively participated in and led the Parents Association at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School while his children attended there. He was an auditor for the Diocese of Tucson Marriage Tribunal. A loyal and die-hard Democrat, he volunteered at Democratic National Conventions. An enthusiastic U of A supporter and sports fan, he was a football season ticket holder for over 60 years as well as having attended many basketball games. He had 19 nieces and nephews and was known as Grampa Jerry to many grandnieces and grandnephews as well as great-grandnieces and great-grandnephews. Family and friends were of utmost importance to Jerry. Always the life of the party, he loved everyone and was loved by all. Visitation is scheduled from 4 pm to 8 pm on Thursday, August 2nd at Angel Valley Funeral Home, 2545 N Tucson Blvd with a Rosary service at 6 pm. Funeral mass will be held at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church at 10:30 am on August 3rd, followed by internment service at Holy Hope Cemetery and a reception at the Knights of Columbus at 601 S Tucson Blvd. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Knight of Columbus Vocations Fund in support of seminarians, in memory of Jerry Sweeney, Knights of Columbus Council #1200, 601 S. Tucson Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85716.