Thomas C. Sweeney

Cumberland – Thomas C. Sweeney, 93, passed away on March 30th, at home surrounded by his loving family. He was the beloved husband and soulmate of the late Nancy N. (Maculan) Sweeney of Cumberland.

Born in Millville, MA, he was the son of the late John Sweeney and Hilda (Malmborg) Sweeney, and brother of the late Mary (Sweeney) Yasick, John Sweeney, Mildred (Sweeney) Baca, and Harold Sweeney. He was also the great grandfather to the late infant, Reese. 

He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1951. He deployed to Korea, landed at Wonsan, and went on to the Chosin Reservoir, Inchon, and Seoul. He proudly served his country for an extended tour of 14 months in the 1st Marine Division, 1st Tank Battalion, Dog Company. He attended the Rhode Island School of Design for drafting upon discharge from the Marine Corps. 

While serving in Korea, his mother sent him his hometown newspaper. When he saw Nancy’s picture in the paper, he knew they would marry. They exchanged letters for 8 months, met when he returned home on leave, and married in a beautiful military wedding one year later. 

An avid outdoorsman, he disliked the confinement of working indoors at a desk. He left his drafting job to work in construction and eventually in the Overhead Line Department at Blackstone Valley Electric Company, where he was employed for 40 years as a lineman, lead lineman, and Crew Chief.

He was a loving family man who could build and fix everything. He was a hard working man with high energy and could always be found working on something. Adventurous in his youth, he raced his car at Seekonk Speedway. He excelled in high school sports and loved playing football, baseball, and basketball. Earning a reputation in baseball, he was offered a position to pitch in the minor league for the Dodgers, an offer he refused to accept, and enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1951. He enjoyed the outdoors, traveling with his wife in their RV cross-country to the Canadian provinces, the Yukon and Alaska, camping with his family, vacationing in New Hampshire and on the coast of Maine, fishing with his grandsons, dancing with his granddaughters, and ballroom dancing with his wife. A devoted family man, his wife, family, and beloved German Shepherd, Max, were his world.

He is survived by his three daughters, Patricia Longtin of Swansea, MA, Deborah Migneault and her husband Robert of Cumberland, and Barbara Groves and her husband Mark of Charlotte, VT; eight grandchildren, Jason, Julian, Stefano, David, Robert, Kerri, Erica, and Timothy; ten great-grandchildren, Ariana, Everlie, Gianluca, Cole, Bailee, Logan, Cameron, Benjamin, Baby Boy Stoy, and Roman, all of whom he cherished dearly.

His funeral will be held on Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 9AM from the S. DiPardo Memorial Chapel Funeral Home 1583 Diamond Hill Rd., Woonsocket, RI 02895 with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 AM in St. John Vianney Church Diamond Hill Rd Cumberland, RI 02864. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery, Wrentham Rd. Cumberland. Relatives and fiends are invited; Calling hours will be on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 from 4-6PM. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation (t2t.org) or the Wounded Warrior Project (www.woundedwarriorproject.org). 

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