Sweney marked 22.5 years as superintendent of the 25-acre Springboro Cemetery.
Sweney took over that job in 1991, when the cemetery was over $100,000 in debt.
Under her astute management, the cemetery accounts were debt-free within two and a half years. The property was also under disrepair with knee-high grass covering stones in the historic portion. She took care of that problem as well.
“That’s where you’ll find her name in the dictionary, under hard worker,” said Rick Tincher, who took over as Sweney’s replacement on Sept. 1. “She’s not done. She’ll leave this job to do something else. I would say, elected officials, watch out.”
Her competence as the Springboro Cemetery superintendent was evident at the reception where many of her peers in the funeral business came to show their support. There were approximately six undertakers there that evening, plus Bell Monument representatives from Miamisburg and Hamilton.
“They gave me a picture frame with a Jack of Hearts and a Jack of Spades on it, and two proclamations, one from Clearcreek Township and one from the city of Springboro,” said Sweney, who turned 81 on September 2 and likes to play Euchre on Thursday nights. “They designated September 10 as Velma Sweney Day.”
This is actually Sweney’s second retirement from a decades-long job. She retired as a beloved Springboro School bus driver in 1989 after 24 years of carting students and athletes back and forth. She estimated there were about 30 of what she calls her ‘bus kids’ at the reception.
“During burials, I would see some of them look at me, and say, ‘Is that Velma Sweney?’ I would say ‘Yes, it’s me, and I remember when you did such and such on the bus,’ ” said Sweney. “And they would answer, ‘Why don’t you get old and get senile?’ ”
Obviously, she still has a sharp mind. Physically, she’s beaten breast cancer and is still very active. She has three children, fifteen grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. She plans on helping one of her grandchildren, Rob Johnson, put siding on his barn in New Lebanon. She’s offered to drive friends to doctor’s appointments.
Not only is Sweney a hard worker, but she has a terrific sense of humor. Her name is on a double monument with her late husband, Howard, who passed away in June of 2007. It’s fairly close to Lower Springboro Road.
“I’ve put my heart and soul into this cemetery and met a lot of people. I will be buried here, out by the fence so I can direct traffic,” said Sweney.
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