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Dorothy "Jean" (Farquharson/Sparks) SWEATMAN
January 11, 1925 ~ December 9, 2017 (age 92) 92 Years OldShare using:
It is with sadness the family of Dorothy "Jean" Sweatman (née Farquharson/Sparks) announce her passing peacefully on Saturday, December 9, 2017 at Rose Villa, Rosetown at the age of 92 years.
Jean was born in Rosetown, SK on January 11, 1925, the third of six children born to James and Jesse Farquharson of Zealandia, SK. She grew up on the family farm in the Dublin area (just west of Zealandia) and received her education in the one room Dublin School just up the road from the farm. After completing her schooling, she attended Normal School in Saskatoon. At a young age she became a school teacher and taught in a couple of one room school houses. She taught students of all ages, some almost her own age. As this was toward the end of the horse and buggy days, she had many humorous stories to tell about horse rides to school and wood burning stoves that kept the buildings warm.
On July 14, 1948, Jean married Norman Sparks and together they established a small farm southwest of Zealandia. On the farm, they had chickens, a few pigs, one or two milk cows and always a border collie dog and her favourite; a garden. On this farm they raised their three sons, Leslie, Donald and Gordon. Jean always loved to read. Her son Leslie said “I can still picture her reading late into the night by the light of a coal oil lamp as there was no power there at the time.” That love of reading continued throughout her life and it was only the last while as her eyes failed that she had to stop.
Tragically, Jean lost Norman to a farming accident on October 4, 1974 and shortly thereafter, turned the farm over to her sons. Jean took some training at Fort Qu’Appelle and then became the United Church minister in the Coleville-Smiley area. It was while there that she married Eric Sweatman on October 23, 1980, a widower who had also sadly lost his first wife. It was really a marriage of two families as Eric’s daughters and their families became Jean’s and her sons and their families became his. Upon her retirement, they bought a house and moved to Rosetown where they enjoyed many happy years together. They were able to travel to many parts of Canada and to New Zealand to visit friends and family. Their house became a favourite place for the grandkids to visit and they loved to play games with them or listen to music being played.
After Eric’s death on March 10, 2007, Jean continued to live in the house until she decided to move to Lion’s Manor. As she continued to need more care, she was one of the first to move to Rose Villa where she was cared for until her long and full life ended on December 9, 2017.
Jean is survived by her three sons Leslie (Connie), Donald (Cynthia) and Gordon (Elenore), sixteen grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren and her two brothers Walter and Bob. She was predeceased by her parents, husbands Norman Sparks and Eric Sweatman, sister Margaret and brothers Bill and Jimmy.
The Funeral Service was held on Wednesday, December 13, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at the Rosetown United Church with Reverend Jo-Ann Hills officiating. Interment followed at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Saskatoon, SK.
Donations in memory of Jean may be made to the Rose Villa Activity Fund, P.O. Box 850, Rosetown, SK, S0L 2V0.
Jean was born in Rosetown, SK on January 11, 1925, the third of six children born to James and Jesse Farquharson of Zealandia, SK. She grew up on the family farm in the Dublin area (just west of Zealandia) and received her education in the one room Dublin School just up the road from the farm. After completing her schooling, she attended Normal School in Saskatoon. At a young age she became a school teacher and taught in a couple of one room school houses. She taught students of all ages, some almost her own age. As this was toward the end of the horse and buggy days, she had many humorous stories to tell about horse rides to school and wood burning stoves that kept the buildings warm.
On July 14, 1948, Jean married Norman Sparks and together they established a small farm southwest of Zealandia. On the farm, they had chickens, a few pigs, one or two milk cows and always a border collie dog and her favourite; a garden. On this farm they raised their three sons, Leslie, Donald and Gordon. Jean always loved to read. Her son Leslie said “I can still picture her reading late into the night by the light of a coal oil lamp as there was no power there at the time.” That love of reading continued throughout her life and it was only the last while as her eyes failed that she had to stop.
Tragically, Jean lost Norman to a farming accident on October 4, 1974 and shortly thereafter, turned the farm over to her sons. Jean took some training at Fort Qu’Appelle and then became the United Church minister in the Coleville-Smiley area. It was while there that she married Eric Sweatman on October 23, 1980, a widower who had also sadly lost his first wife. It was really a marriage of two families as Eric’s daughters and their families became Jean’s and her sons and their families became his. Upon her retirement, they bought a house and moved to Rosetown where they enjoyed many happy years together. They were able to travel to many parts of Canada and to New Zealand to visit friends and family. Their house became a favourite place for the grandkids to visit and they loved to play games with them or listen to music being played.
After Eric’s death on March 10, 2007, Jean continued to live in the house until she decided to move to Lion’s Manor. As she continued to need more care, she was one of the first to move to Rose Villa where she was cared for until her long and full life ended on December 9, 2017.
Jean is survived by her three sons Leslie (Connie), Donald (Cynthia) and Gordon (Elenore), sixteen grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren and her two brothers Walter and Bob. She was predeceased by her parents, husbands Norman Sparks and Eric Sweatman, sister Margaret and brothers Bill and Jimmy.
The Funeral Service was held on Wednesday, December 13, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at the Rosetown United Church with Reverend Jo-Ann Hills officiating. Interment followed at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Saskatoon, SK.
Donations in memory of Jean may be made to the Rose Villa Activity Fund, P.O. Box 850, Rosetown, SK, S0L 2V0.
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