Dolores (Pearson) Sweeney

Sweeney, Dolores (Pearson) A longtime resident of Roslindale, passed away in the comfort of her home surrounded by her loving family on March 2, 2025.  Born and raised on Perham Street in West Roxbury, she was the proud daughter of the late Nora (Doherty) who emigrated from Ireland and Carl Pearson who emigrated from Sweden. 

Beloved wife of the late William C. Sweeney, Sr.  Loving mother of William C. Sweeney, Jr., and Constance Miller and her husband Kevin. She was the mother of the late Maureen Rowell and her surviving former husband Michael. Barbara Gray and her surviving husband David.  Cherished grandmother of Lisa Kuykendall, Madison Miller and the late Michelle Rowell. Dear sister of the late Mary Christine Gunning and Carl, Edward and Marjorie Pearson. Dolores also leaves behind many nieces & nephews, She was the sister-in-law of the late John Sweeney, Margaret Greene and Mary, Timothy, Patrick, James and Richard Sweeney.  She is also survived by her extended family and many dear friends.

Dolores married Bill in January of 1951 and settled in Roslindale where they raised their family.  In the late 1950’s, they began to share a summer cottage with Dolores’ sister Chris Gunning and her husband Herb. The two families spent months living as one which made them unusually close. Cousins became more like brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles more like second mothers and fathers. It was a family experience beyond compare and Dolores reveled in it. In her later years, she especially loved her grandchildren whom she held dear and who could do no wrong in her eyes. 

Never afraid of hard work, she held several jobs over the years. Always a down to earth people person, she manned the switchboard at an answering service in Roslindale and washed hair at The Cutting Edge Hair Salon in West Roxbury where she mixed easily with the with the local clientele. She also had a short but memorable brush with the powerful when she met and shook hands with Winston Churchill while working at Houghton Mifflin. Her last job was a twenty plus year stint at the Massachusetts State Laboratory where she started as a receptionist and finished as a technical writer of processes and procedures. The Lab community became an extended family.

Dolores was a woman of incredible faith and a consistent supporter of The Holy Name Church in West Roxbury.  She loved to listen to the daily Mass and pray for those less fortunate than her. In particular, she prayed for the souls in Purgatory

In her spare time she loved to knit and crochet, but especially to garden, whether in Roslindale or Manomet.

Dolores was many things to many people: mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, neighbor and friend. She brought infinite kindness and generosity to her every role and relationship. Quick with a smile and a positive word of encouragement, she’d love to hand you a couple of bucks she often didn’t have and tell you to get yourself an ice cream or to go to the movies. Most important, she was always there to listen to others and unconditionally accept them as they were.

Everyone who knew her will miss her warm, kind spirit. And would do themselves and the world a favor to emulate it.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend visiting hours in the Robert J. Lawler and Crosby Funeral Home, 1803 Centre Street, WEST ROXBURY on Thursday March 6th from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Funeral from the funeral home on Friday at 9:00 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in The Holy Name Church at 10:00 a.m.  Interment Knollwood Memorial Park, Canton. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Office of Development, Attn: Catherine Stephens, BIDMC, (OV), 330 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215. Please make checks out to "BIDMC" and indicate "Dr. David Einstein's Research Fund".  For directions and guestbook, please visit: lawlerfuneralhome.com.