Francis E. McSweeny, 87
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Francis E. "Frank" McSweeny, 87, of Stonington, Conn., formerly of Williamstown, died Thursday, April 30, 2015, in the company of loving family and friends.
Born in Pittsfield on March 1, 1928, son of Francis E. and Helena Grogan McSweeny, he graduated from the University of San Francisco and later won National Science Foundation grants to pursue a higher education. He earned a master's degree from Boston College.
He was an Army veteran of World War II.
A gifted math teacher, Mr. McSweeny was coordinator for many years of the mathematics department at Mount Greylock Regional High School, where he collaborated with Berkshire Community College to introduce computer science into the school curriculum as early as 1968.
Together with John Blackmer, he later won a grant from the GTE Foundation for developing and implementing a curriculum that integrated the study of calculus, physics, and computer programming. He was also a talented musician and directed a number of the school's musicals and was one of the first inductees into the Mount Greylock Faculty Hall of Fame.
He was a communicant of the former St. Raphael's Church, for which he served as a lector, and St. Patrick's Church in Mystic, Conn. He read for Recording for the Blind, sat for many years on the Zoning Board of Appeals, and was a member of several educational associations. He was a steadfast fan of the Boston Red Sox.
He was the devoted husband of the former Ann G. Griffin, who died in 2013.
He leaves three sons, Francis E. McSweeney III and his wife, Carol, of Stonington, Conn., Charles McSweeney and his wife, Cheryl, of Medway and Joseph McSweeney of Taipei, Taiwan; two daughters, Margaret "Peggy" Murphy of of Shrub Oak, N.Y., and Mary Ann McSweeney of Medway; two sisters, Mary Smith and Catherine Bowlby and her husband, Roger, of Pittsfield; nine grandchildren, Jim and Sean McSweeny, Laura and Stephen Murphy, Jonathan and Patrick Foley, and Maureen, Joe, and Owen McSweeny; his many nieces and nephews, and his faithful caregiver, Beverly Howard.
His sister Elizabeth Principe and brother, James J. McSweeny, predeceased him.
FUNERAL NOTICE — A Liturgy of Christian Burial for Mr. McSweeny will be celebrated Saturday, May 9, at 11 a.m. in St. Patrick's Church, Williamstown. Burial will follow in Eastlawn Cemetery.
A reception for family and friends will be held immediately after at the '6 House Pub, 910 Cold Spring Road, Williamstown.
Calling hours will be Friday, May 8, from 4 to 7 at Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna
Home for Funerals, West Chapels, 521 West Main St., North Adams. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Francis E. McSweeny Scholarship in care of the funeral home. The scholarship will support graduating seniors of Mount Greylock.