Raymond Sweetman
Jerseyville |
Raymond (Ray) I. Sweetman, 94, died at 6:45 p.m. Friday, November 21, 2014, at his home in Jerseyville, Illinois
Born August 10, 1920 in Calhoun County, Illinois to parents Charles and Hettie Sweetman.
He married Gwen Ansell in Troy, Missouri March 6, 1941 and they were married for 59 years until her death in 2000.
Preceding him in death were his three brothers, Howard, Everett, Ford; two sisters, Rachel Ingersoll and Mildred Rouse and a nephew and lifelong friend, Kenneth Ingersoll.
He operated Sweetman Service for 25 years. In 1969 he began a second career with the State of Illinois Department of Agriculture as an inspector and retired after 17 years. He served on the Jersey County Tax Review Board.
He served in the U. S. Navy aboard the escort carrier USS Kwajalein in the Pacific theater. He was a lifelong member of Jerseyville V.F.W. Post # 492, serving a term as its commander. Also, he was a counselor for the Macoupin County V.F.W.
He was a lifetime member of the First Presbyterian Church in Hardin and Jerseyville, and the Masonic Lodge. He was a Trustee of the Jerseyville First Presbyterian Church for three years.
He became an avid and skilled golfer winning several championships at West Lake Country Club and served as vice president.
He loved to travel and even though he joined the Navy “To See the World,” he discovered he preferred to drive across America with his family. Every year a different State or section of the country was toured. He came close to seeing all 48 states.
He is survived by a daughter, Judy, and her spouse William Varble, Alton; two sons, Alan and his wife Laurel, Alton; Clark and his wife Loren, of Panacea, Florida, and their children, Richard and Andrea Sweetman; a niece Virginia Sweetman Thomas; two nephews Irving Rouse of Mexico, Kent Rouse of Chicago, and by a very special friend, Marjorie Liles.
Visitation: 4:00-8:00pm, Monday, November 24, 2014 at Alexander & Gubser Funeral Home in Jerseyville.
Funeral: 10:00am, Tuesday, November 25, 2014 at Alexander & Gubser Funeral Home in Jerseyville.
Ministers: Reverend Don Stribling and Reverend Brent Meyer.
Burial: Oak Gove Cemetery in Jerseyville, Illinois.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Shriner’s Hospital for Children, St. Louis, MO or to First Presbyterian Church of Jerseyville.
Alexander Funeral Home
