Thomas J. Sweeney, age 93, passed away on Monday, November 18, 2024.

Our beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, mentor, and all-around MVP Tom Sweeney left us this past Monday evening. He was no doubt welcomed in to Heaven by countless friends, dogs, and his “best girl ever” Betty. What a reunion that had to be, our happiness for him is greater than any grief.

Tom was a Valentines baby, born February 14th, 1931 in Chicago IL—the middle child and only son of Thomas J and Frances A (Reske) Sweeney. Tom’s young life was greatly impacted by growing up through the hardship of the Great Depression and the horrors of World War II—these events instilled in him a legendary work ethic, a deep appreciation for family, and an enduring compassion for the underdogs of the world. He had a huge soft spot for the ‘little guy’. Tom worked a lot as a young man, and found his niche in the printing industry. After graduating from Taft HS in Chicago he worked full time in printing, a path that was interrupted by the Korean War—Tom enlisted in the USAF and served 4 years, stationed at various locales, including the Pentagon as well as Clark AFB in Manila during the war. After his discharge he returned to the printing industry, working for Leader Typesetting and eventually moonlighting in his own print shop, aptly named Economy Press.

It was during this stretch that his future brother-in-law Bob Miller introduced him to the love of his life, Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Grosse. One of 11 children in a gregarious family, Betty proved every bit Tom’s equal as a hard worker, full of common sense and decency, as well as a dreamer. They worked super hard and saved saved saved, and eventually made a leap of faith in a better future by buying Shady Nook Resort in 1960. It was here on the shores of the Big Chip that they would build a wee empire and a legacy to be proud of.

Working together and being together 24/7 resulted in…you guessed it---children! Patti came along in the fall of ’61, followed soon after by Tom, Dan, and Connie. It was all they could have dreamt of. The dream was shattered by Betty’s swift and untimely death in September of ’66. This left a shadow on Tom’s soul that could be seen in his eyes, even 58 years later.

Tom could have easily punted on life and his young family, but his character would not allow it. Together with his mother Frances he raised 4 small children on a shoestring budget with no safety net. He worked even harder, “the only way I could sleep was to work myself to exhaustion”, and slowly and steadily the resort grew. His way with people and his tolerance and patience nurtured a loyal base of return customers, but he never ever took people for granted. His prices were always low (sometimes grumped at by his children) because he felt that there had to be a place for a hard working family to vacation without breaking the bank. Over his decades at SNR he saw many things, and gleaned an incredible number of stories. Any on you who sat on the deck with him recently can vouch for a story or memory for any occasion. He loved seeing people happy, he was incredibly unselfish; he would be first to ask how you were, seemingly oblivious to his own aches and pains.

Tom was very active in the 80’s and 90’s, serving numerous roles on the Lake Chippewa Resort Association and Hayward Lakes Resort Assoc. He was very proud of what he and his colleagues accomplished in those years, but very humble when it came to awards and accolades. Tom was deeply involved with the re-licensing of the flowage in the early 70’s, the flowage dedication in 1986 with Gov Tommy Thompson, and construction of the new visitor center in downtown Hayward.

Tom leaves behind a proud family including: Patricia Wood, Thomas (Sharon), Daniel (Carrie), and Constance (John Greene). Grandchildren and great grandchildren: Elizabeth (James + Hudson), Thomas (Christina and Monty), Alex (Michele), and Johnathan. He had loads of extended family and countless friends from all walks of life. He was preceded by his best girl Betty, his parents, his awesome sister Coletta, and son-in-law Toby Wood. His amazing baby sister Carol is left to carry on for that generation.

The next time you are out fishing and the wind ruffles your hair, give Grampa a nod. When you see a star twinkling remember that same twinkle he got in his eye when he was about to drop something funny on you, right outta left field. He loved the lake, the water, the peace, quiet and solitude. Loved a good fish fry, a stinky cigar, and a good joke. Most of all he loved people; your energy kept him going to almost 94. He is not here to thank you himself, but we can---thank you!

A funeral service will be held at 1:30 P.M. on Friday, November 22, 2024 at the Hayward Funeral Home, Hayward, WI, where visitation will be held from 11:00 am to the hour of service. Interment with military honors will follow at the Greenwood Cemetery, Hayward, WI.

Last Update: Nov 21, 2024 2:11 pm CST