Iolene Sweeney

Iolene Ann Sweeney, 81, of Waco passed away Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at Providence Hospice Place in Waco. A memorial visitation will be held from 2 to 4 pm on Sunday, December 23 at OakCrest Funeral Home. Per her wishes, she will be taken to Arkansas and scattered at the end of Boyd Miller Lane close to where she grew up.

Mrs. Sweeney was born August 21, 1937 to W.H. and Irene Herold Miller in Dewitt, Arkansas. She attended school in Stuttgart, Arkansas and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Monticello with a degree in Education. Iolene taught for several years in Arkansas before moving around with her then husband who worked for the government. After her children were born, Mrs. Sweeney worked for several years in the florist industry before going back in to teaching fifth and sixth grade at St. Louis Elementary School here in Waco. She was known for her diagramming and making her students learn. There were t-shirts made that read “I survived the Sweeney”. She loved teaching and put in long hours grading papers and preparing for her students. She was also known as “the janitor” due to her getting there so early to open the school.

Mrs. Sweeney is preceded in death by her parents, a sister, and two brothers, all from Arkansas.

She is survived by daughter, Malea Balmuth and husband, Ed of Granbury; son, Trey Scherwitz of Robinson; twin grandchildren, Eliza and Jake Balmuth, whom she adored; nephews and nieces from Texas and Arkansas; and her beloved dachshund, Puppo.

The family wishes to thank the staff of 4 South at Providence Hospital and Providence Hospice Place for the excellent care they provided. Also thank you to her wonderful caretakers Teresa, Michelle, Francine and Rachel.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Providence Hospice Place, 300 W. Hwy 6, Waco, Texas 76712, St. Louis Catholic School Tuition Assistance Fund, 2208 N. 23rd St. Waco, Texas 76708, or the Humane Society of Central Texas, www.humansocietyofcentraltexas.org in honor of Puppo.