Mary Therese Sweeney, 71, a retired English grammar teacher at the 7th- and 8th-grade levels, taught for 43 years, most of that time in the George Washington Elementary School on the Southeast Side and earned a reputation for preparing students for high school writing and English courses.
A longtime resident of the Southeast Side and recently of Darien, she died Saturday in Ingalls Hospital, Harvey, after a four-year battle with cancer.
Mrs. Sweeney was named teacher of the year in the Hegewisch-East Side community and was honored by the school’s Parents Teachers Association with a life membership.
Of Mrs. Sweeney, Washington Principal Patricia Doherty said, “Once in a sad, imperfect world, we knew someone who had fought ignorance and conquered it with knowledge, who fought mediocrity and conquered it with excellence, who fought illness and conquered it with faith.”
Survivors include her husband, Fred; three daughters, Celeste Amish, Joyce Culkin and Carol Hojnicki; a brother; a sister; and six grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 2 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in the Modell Funeral Home, 7710 Cass Ave., Darien.
Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church, 8404 Cass Ave., Darien.
