Funeral services for Mr. Leonard Jasper Sweeton, age 84 of Manchester will be conducted Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 11:00 AM at Coffee County Funeral Chapel with Brother Ray Winton officiating.
Burial will follow at Coalmont Cemetery in Grundy County, TN with Military Honors.
Visitation will be Wednesday from 5:00-9:00 PM at the funeral home. A Masonic service will be conducted at 7:00 PM.
Mr. Sweeton passed away Monday, April 23, 2012 in Nashville, TN.
He was born November 8, 1927 in Coalmont, TN the son of the late Edward Sweeton and Maude Hargis Sweeton.
He grew up in Grundy County having graduated from Coalmont School in 1943. He joined the United States Navy in 1946 and was released honorably from active duty in December 1947. Leonard then moved north to Michigan where as fate would have it he would meet a Tennessee girl named Lesley Beatrice Sweeton who would become his wife in April 1951. The couple started their family and resided in Eastpointe, Michigan until 1989 when Leonard retired from General Motors after 35 years of service. They then moved to Manchester where Leonard enjoyed gardening and helping friends and neighbors by plowing their gardens or whatever they needed. He enjoyed the outdoors and woodworking. He was a member of Hillsboro Masonic Lodge # 382. To friends and family he was known to always have a “grin” on his face.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife and a brother, Charles Sweeton and a sister, Clara Mae Nunley.
Survivors include children, Shirley A. Murphy of Chesterfield Township, MI; Richard Sweeton and wife, Treva of Manchester; Sandra K. Prince and husband, Robbie of Troy, IL; April Y. Sweeton of Murfreesboro, TN and step-daughter, Brenda L. Presley and husband, James of Tullahoma, TN; three grandchildren, Robbie Prince, Jr. of Edwardsville, IL, Patrick G. Murphy of Chesterfield Township, MI and Andrea Moody and husband, Joe of Watauga, TX; a brother, Kenneth Sweeton and wife, Eloise of McMinnville, TN and three sisters, Alma Lee Sanders of Manchester, Myrtle Northcutt of Morrison and Wanda Sweeton of Portland, TN; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and loving friends.
Coffee County Funeral Chapel in charge of arrangements.