Isabel McSweeney
Delray Beach, FL.
Isabel McSweeney, a long-time Springs resident and teacher at Springs School, died at home in Delray Beach, FL on June 18 from complications of metastatic lung cancer. She was 78. Affectionately known as Izzy to her friends, Mrs. McSweeney embodied love and patience, and always put others before herself, said her children.
Mrs. McSweeney was born in Manhattan, NY, on June 29, 1944, to Meyer and Shirley (Scharlatt) Elinson. She grew up in Belle Harbor, Queens and attended Buffalo State University where she earned a degree in elementary education and began her 35-year career as a teacher, the bulk of which was at Springs School.
On June 22, 1969, she married the love of her life, Philip J. McSweeney. The two first settled in East Patchogue before moving with their daughters to Springs in 1977 to be closer to Montauk, where Mr. McSweeney docked his commercial fishing dragger. While Mrs. McSweeney loved her work with elementary school children, her focus and priority was always her family.
She spent countless hours with her daughters, and later with her grandchildren, reading to them, playing board games, spending long days at the ocean, walking to Louse Point and later along the dirt road and woods around the Maine cabin she and Mr. McSweeney cherished in their retirement.
It was in the quiet moments where Mrs. McSweeney’s love shined through, her children said: sitting on the front porch of the Maine cabin with her husband, evenings spent knitting, reading, and watching shows together, and baking banana bread and cookies for her grandkids.
Mrs. McSweeney is survived by her children, Susan Coren of Virginia, Bridget Keane, her husband Sean of Rhode Island, and her grandchildren, David and Sam Coren, and Patrick and Delaney Keane. She is also survived by a sister, Martha Goldstein, her husband Marvin of New Jersey, and a brother Arthur Elinson, his wife Rosalie of Florida. Mrs. McSweeney is also survived by her Maine family: Kim, Wendell, Nick and Kaylee Harvey. She was predeceased by her husband, Philip J. McSweeney. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews.
Mrs. McSweeney was a member of Congregation Beth Israel in Bangor, ME. Services will be held 11:00 am Tuesday, June 27, at the Jewish funeral Chapel, 118 Center St., Bangor and burial will take place at the Corinthian Cemetery, in Corinth, ME.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital the Lung Cancer Research Foundation, or a gift to your local library.
Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.
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