Obituary of Trudy Ann Sweeney

Trudy Ann Sweeney,nee. Ricciardi,  62, passed away at her Pembroke home on May 14, 2018, after a long battle with breast cancer.

Trudy was born, as the story goes, en route from her childhood home in Hanover to South Shore Hospital on June 3, 1955. Sweet, shy Trudy found her first love in a little red pony named King, and this led her to a group of wonderful friends at Briggs Stable, where she developed into an accomplished equestrian. She graduated from Hanover High School and continued on to coursework at Cape Cod Community College and a lifelong love of self-education, visiting historic sites and museums with her children, gifting them her love of reading, and rarely tuning her television to anything other than PBS (except for a classic movie, especially with Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy).

Trudy was married to John on August 23, 1975, and as they moved from Rockland to Northhampton, MA, then on to Vermont, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania before coming “home” in 1997, she grew to become a true “home-maker.”  Extended family from across the country always had a place at Trudy’s table and under her roof.  As her children grew, the Sweeney house was a place where everyone got a bit of her wisdom and a chocolate chip cookie (or if you were really lucky, a whoopie pie).  The years developed a rhythm as school years followed the kids’ activity schedules and summers provided punctuation, as wherever they moved to, “the Cape House” in Wellfleet and its promise of aunts, uncles, cousins, dance parties, blueberry pancakes, beach days, and nights playing cards on the yellow porch were a constant, orchestrated graciously and thoughtfully by Trudy.

Trudy worked as a Nursery Manager for A.J. Tomasi Nursery for 15 years before retiring to focus on her new role as “Geema” to an ever-growing lineup of grandsons.  First August, then Spencer, then she added a puppy to the mix with her faithful companion, Primrose.  Her heart was filled with joy as she had yet another outlet for her nurturing spirit.  Cavanagh and Zachary soon joined “the pack,” and mischievous Julian kept her on her toes.  Any day, rain or shine, might find her in her garden or in the woods, with a small boy or two trailing behind her and Prim dashing through the pines.

Trudy is celebrated by her husband John, daughter Jessica Sweeney-Ahmad and her husband Ataul, of Hanover, son Bradley Sweeney of Plymouth, son Taylor Sweeney and his wife Kristin, of Halifax, and her daughter Saria Sweeney of Pembroke, as well as by her five beloved grandsons, August, Spencer, Cavanagh, Zachary, and Julian, in addition to her brother Rodney Ricciardi of Hanover, her sister Diane McDonnell of Hanover, and her sister Rosemary Townsend of Hanover, along with an innumerable group of nephews, nieces, in-laws, extended family and friends whom she loved so dearly and who will also miss her deeply.

She is met in Heaven by her parents, Rosario and Marilyn, John’s parents, Frank and Carol, her brother-in-law Jim and her sister-in-law Kathy, and one can’t help but imagine a small herd of horses, dogs, and cats.

Flowers are appreciated, as are any donations to a cause that one might feel would be close to Trudy’s heart.  Also, we ask that you think of her as you hug a child, pet a dog, bury your toes in the sand, or enjoy a peaceful walk in the woods.

Visitation will be held Friday, May 18, from 4:00-7:00pm at Shepherd Funeral Home in Pembroke, followed by a private memorial on-site from 7:00-8:00pm