Homer Charles Sweet

Homer Charles Sweet (1924-2015) Homer Charles Sweet, 91, of Cedar Falls, died Saturday, September 26, 2015 at Sartori Memorial Hospital, Cedar Falls, of pneumonia. Homer was born March 30, 1924 in Sioux City, Iowa, the son of Charles Leroy Sweet and Gladys Magdalene Homer. On November 4, 1945 at Ruthven, Palo Alto County, Iowa, he married Mary Jean Logan, who predeceased him. The first years of Homer's life were spent moving around the United States as his father Charles Sweet, a Civil Engineer, built roads in Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee and Florida. In the mid-1930s Charles Sweet went to work for the US Army Corps of Engineers and US Department of Agriculture, and the family lived in Omaha, Nebraska; Manhattan, Kansas; Denver, Colorado; Lincoln, Nebraska; and then again in Denver, Colorado where Homer graduated high school. Homer attended Morningside College, Sioux City (1942-43); and graduated from Iowa State University with a B. S. E. E. (June 1945). He worked for U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management (Boulder City, Nevada), Iowa Southern Utilities (Centerville, Iowa), and the Cedar Falls Utilities, retiring as Vice President of Electrical Operations in 1989. Homer enlisted in the United States Navy on July 1, 1943 and attended service schools at Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa), USNRMS (Notre Dame, Indiana); and Radar School (St. Simon's Island, Georgia). He was commissioned an Ensign on November 2, 1945 at Midshipman's School at Notre Dame. He served on the USS Niagara. He was a First Division Officer and qualified as Fighter-Director Officer. He served in the American and Asiatic-Pacific Theatres and was at Pearl Harbor and Bikini Atoll from February 1946- August 1946. He was honorably discharged August 4, 1946. Homer Sweet served First United Methodist Church as a Trustee, a member of the Chancel Choir, and chair of the organ restoration committee. He was a 47 year member of Rotary, active from 1967 to 2014 when he became an Honorary member. He was recognized as a Fifty-year Mason in 2008, and was a member of the Grand Lodge of Iowa, Jackson Lodge No. 42, Centerville, Iowa. In 2010 he was honored as a 50-Year member of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of the State of Iowa and a Fifty Year member of the Royal Arch Masons of Iowa, Monroe Chapter. He was a Life Member in the National Society of Professional Engineers and the Iowa Engineering Society. Homer and Mary Jean Sweet were the parents of five children, all living: Timothy David (DeSoto, Iowa), Richard Charles (Princeton, Iowa), Michael Thomas (Gatineau, Quebec), Mary Ann (Oceanside, California), and Stanton Logan (Cedar Falls, Iowa). Homer is also survived by his beloved sister Dorothy Sweet Savory (Estes Park, Colorado); brother and sister-in-law William Leroy and Win Sweet (Milpitas Hills, California); sister-in-law Margaret Logan Willoughby, and sister-in-law Marjorie Logan. He is survived by eleven grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews. He was preceded by his wife of 68 years, Mary Jean Logan; parents, and step-mother. Services will be held 11:00 a.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church, Cedar Falls, with visitation for one hour prior to the service. A public Masonic service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at the church, conducted by the Black Hawk Masonic Lodge No. 65 A.F. & A.M. Burial will be in Crown Hill Cemetery in Ruthven, Iowa. Richardson Funeral Service is assisting the family. Memorials may be directed to First United Methodist Church, 718 Clay Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613.

Homer Charles Sweet

March 30, 1924 - September 26, 2015