Obituary: Jane Paris Sweeney, of Cutchogue, Dies at 81

Info via DeFriest Grattan Funeral Home

Jane Paris Sweeney (formally Tyroler) died in her Cutchogue home on July 12, 2015, after a long battle with a rare degenerative neurological disorder. She was 81.

Sweeney was born to Felix Tyroler and Eleanor (Parisi) Tyroler in 1934.

She graduated from Bronxville High School, earned her Bachelor of Arts in music from Cornell University in 1955, and pursued graduate studies at Manhattanville College and SUNY/Purchase.

She was a 65-year spring, summer and fall resident of Cutchogue and an avid sailor and swimmer, learning to sail in 1952 at Old Cove Yacht Club in New Suffolk.

A piano prodigy from the age of 5, Sweeney was a much-beloved piano teacher.

She was the accompanist and choreographer for Blind Brook High School choirs and musical productions for many years. She was also a lifelong student of tap, ballet and musical theater, and co-founded and acted with Rye Town Community Theater.

Sweeney was known as a stellar hostess at her waterfront home, which was always filled with song and dance. For many years she played and performed at the General Wayne Inn in Southold and other local venues, parties, and events.

She was also a lifelong member of the North Fork Community Theatre in Mattituck.

Sweeney was cofounder of the Rye Town Conservation Society and worked to protect Blind Brook and the nature conservancy wetlands of Rye and Long Island Sound.

She was a lifelong member of North Fork Environmental Council.

All who visited her Broadwaters Cove home learned to love the wetlands, creeks, fiddler crabs, horseshoe crabs, oysters, clams, scallops, whelks, mud snails, herons, egrets, and all wildlife.

She was predeceased by her husband, George Fenton Sweeney in 2001.

Sweeney is survived by her children, Michele Cusack of Novato, Calif., Heather Cusack-Tetrault of New Suffolk, Patrick Sweeney and his wife, Muffie Dunn, of Greenwich, Conn.; her longtime companion, Frederick Green; and grandchildren Michael Cusack, Max Tetrault and Desmond Tetrault of New Suffolk and New York, Patrick Pollak, Brooke Sweeney, Caroline Sweeney, Fin Sweeney and Nathaniel Hamovitz.

Services were held on Wednesday, July 15 at Cutchogue Cemetery. Reverend Dr. Peter J. Kelley officiated.

Memorial donations may be made to the North Fork Community Theatre or East End Hospice.