Jean Spencer Sweeney

Jean Spencer Sweeney Feb. 28, 1939 - Nov. 25, 2011 Resident of Alameda Jean Spencer Sweeney of Alameda, CA died on November 25, 2011. Jean was born in 1939 near Owyhee, NV. She lived on a number of Indian reservations, because her father was a Bureau of Indian Affairs Reservation Superintendent. She spent many carefree days horseback riding on the Reservation. She attended University of Idaho where she met and married Jim Sweeney. She earned a teaching degree in education in 1961. Jim became a lawyer for the Navy and they were stationed at various naval bases, including NAS Alameda in 1972. Jean was an elementary school teacher. She was a member of the Alameda Rotary Club, Humane Society of Alameda, Alameda Historical Society, Restoration Advisory Board, Northern Waterfront Committee, Veteran's Memorial Building Restoration Committee, and the Alameda Community Fund Board. She is best known for her work on the Alameda Belt Line Property that allowed the city to buy it back from the railroad at the original low price. She also authored and qualified the Initiative that voters passed to zone it open space. November 1, 2011 was proclaimed Jean Sweeney Day by the Alameda City Council. Jean enjoyed hiking, backpacking, art, symphony, opera, ballet, theater, sailing, tennis and genealogy. She was also a friend to many, quietly helping out others. She is survived by husband, Jim Sweeney; daughters Kathleen Fahley of Renton, WA and Christine Ahrens of Los Alamos, NM; grandchildren Michael and Shauna Fahley and Peter, Daniel, Connor and Tyler Ahrens; siblings Betty Keller, Chuck Spencer, Helen Spencer and Tom Spencer. Other survivors include sons-in-law Stephen Fahley and James Ahrens, sisters-in-law Linda Spencer and Alice Spencer. A memorial service will be held at the Alameda Elks Lodge at 2pm on Sunday December 11th. Donations can be made to pancreatic cancer research at https://makeagift.ucsf.edu/hospitals or to world hunger at http://www.heifer.org.