Theodore “Ted” Sweere

Theodore “Ted” Sweere

October 13, 1933 - September 29, 2013

Theodore “Ted” Sweere

October 13, 1933 - September 29, 2013

Obituary

Theodore “Ted” Harry Sweere was born to Dutch immigrants Gertrude (Hofland) and Cornelius Sweere on October 13, 1933 in New York Mills, Minnesota. The oldest of four brothers, Harry, David, Joseph, Edward, and sister, Veronica, Dad was raised on a 600-acre dairy farm, and served as a radio engineer in the United States Army from 1953 to 1955. In 1957, he married Joanne Carol Stollenwerk, who would become his wife of 56 years and the mother of his four handsome sons, Paul, Thomas, Matthew, Eric, and five “equally lovely” daughters, Laura, Linda, LeaAnn, Leslie, and Nicole. Throughout the years, the family grew to include two daughters-in-law, Jeanie Sweere and Tina Morris, son-in-law Mike Macarewich, two grandsons, Stefan Macarewich and Don Sweere, and five granddaughters, Larissa Silvas, Elena Sweere, Sophia Macarewich, Ava Victoria Sweere, and Caitlyn Aisha Gainers.

Mom and Dad relocated to Southern California in 1962, where he took a job as a field service engineer for NCR. Dad later entered the minicomputer industry, holding various management positions in engineering, marketing, manufacturing, and field service for Varian Data Machines. Dad helped to form the west coast division of Computer Consoles, Inc., and was part of the incredible team that developed the world’s highest performance minicomputer of the time. Dad was an initial investor in and worked as a top-producing director of international sales for Ergotron, Inc. during the last fifteen years of his career. He had the opportunity to work with sons Paul, Matt, Eric, and daughters Laura and Nicole throughout his career, and also served over three decades as an usher at Santiago de Compostela Catholic Church, and also at St. Nicholas Church. Dad’s work ethic was unrivaled, and each day he was driven by the question, “What can I do today to better myself and the family?”

Dad loved long Sunday drives, vacations to the California Gold Country, the beautiful rock formations in Monument Valley, AZ and Valley of Fire, NV, and weekends in San Diego with his children. He enjoyed friendly bars, playing poker, classic country music, and “solving the world’s problems” over port wine and cigars. A lifelong Republican, Dad equally loved and loathed politics. He skipped the nightly news in favor of late-night movies, and instead read the newspaper each morning, invariably leaving him 24 hours behind on current events, much to Mom’s chagrin.

Dad had endless patience for his children, but never entertained meanness, pettiness, spite, or behavior that was generally ‘not too smart’. Though devastatingly handsome, Dad enjoyed a simple life, filled with laughter and devoid of pretense. He preferred solutions to argument and believed that any problem could be solved with thoughtful reasoning and judgment, qualities which many saw as his greatest gifts, and which made him a leader at home and work. He taught his children to work ‘harder, faster, and smarter,’ and in recent years, reflecting upon the children he had raised to become responsible adults sometimes brought him to tears.

Dad truly loved people and knew everyone’s story. Interesting conversation or exaggeration was much preferred to solitude, and he could amuse himself endlessly with the oddest idiosyncrasies of others. He could repeat a tale or joke an infinite number of times and never lose interest. He admired hard work far more than privilege, and a person who could create success using mere ingenuity and insight into the needs of others.

Dad passed away peacefully Sunday, September 29, 2013 surrounded by his beloved wife, children, and grandchildren. Fair and respectful, kind, generous, curious, and good-natured, Dad always called his children his “heroes”. The feeling is mutual.

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5 responses to Theodore “Ted” Sweere

  1. 3 files added to the tribute wall

  2. 1 file added to the tribute wall

  3. Lit a candle in memory of Theodore “Ted” Sweere

  4. Lit a candle in memory of Theodore “Ted” Sweere

  5. picture 1 was at Mom and Dad’s 50th wedding anniversary (Gertrude and Cornelius Sweere) when Ted and Joanne brought the whole family and we celebrated in Owatonna in Joe and Mary’s Sweere’ beautiful home….taken on the antique porch swing. And third one was taken in the same house.

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