Michael J. Sweet

1937 - 2021

Michael J. Sweet, 83, of Osceola, formerly of Elkhart, died on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021, at Elkhart General Hospital.

Mike was born Nov. 9, 1937, in Detroit, Michigan, to the late William and Mary Constance (Lubert) Sweet. At a young age, he was adopted and raised by his aunt and uncle, Nicholas and Anna Lubert Bollas. He was also preceded in death by brothers F. William Sweet, Albert Sweet and James Bollas, and a sister, Mary Sweet.

On Dec. 11, 1963, in Elkhart, he married the former Marilyn Kell. Marilyn died in 1999. Surviving are a daughter, Margaret (Jeff) Gulotta of LaPorte; two grandchildren, Rhett and Rhys; three brothers, James (Kathleen) Sweet, Robert (Jerry) Sweet and Robert Bollas, all of Warren, Ohio; a sister, Connie Noonan of Harleysville, Pennsylvania; and two sisters-in-law, Elizabeth Sweet of Warren, Ohio, and Judy Sweet of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Michael was a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. He was employed as the HR manager at Williams Products from 1962 until 1977. He then took the same position at Stoutco from 1978 until his retirement in 2012. Michael was involved in local politics, serving as an active member of the Elkhart Republican Party from 1962 to 1984. During that time, he served as an Elkhart City councilman at large from 1976 to 1983. At the end of his term, he then ran for mayor of Elkhart in 1983. He was also involved with Junior Achievement (1952-1980), Rhapsody in Green (1979-2018) and volunteered for the New York Central Railroad Museum (2011-2018) as well as the Elkhart Parks and Recreation Department (1975-2020).

A Celebration of Life service for Michael will be held at a later date. Hartzler-Gutermuth-Inman Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Memorial contributions in memory of Michael may be made to the American Cancer Society or to the Elkhart County Parks and Recreation Department.

To leave the family an online condolence, please visit the funeral home website.