Eileen Catherine (Claffey) Sweeney died March 11, 2025, surrounded by loving family.

Eileen was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, the daughter of the late John J. & Alice Rowan Claffey.

She is survived by her loving husband of 48 years, Leo John Sweeney. She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Annamay Claffey; her sister and brother-in-law, Harry and Alice Seaberg; her sister-in-law, Regina Sweeney; her niece, Debbie Sweeney; and her childhood friend, Barbara Huber.

Eileen graduated elementary and high school at St. Paul's parish, Wilmington. She also attended the University of Delaware, Wilmington College and Goldy Beacom College. Her one regret was that she never got her degree.

Eileen started her business career with Msgr. Paul J. Taggart (then Father) for 12 years at Catholic Diocese of Wilmington's Cathedral Cemetery. She split hours working hours for several years as secretary for Msgr. Taggart in Cathedral Cemetery/Vocation Office, and for Msgr. Henri Foltz in Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD). In 1965, she joined the original staff of the Diocese's Catholic Weekly, The Dialog. She started as Office Manager/Bookkeeper; the Office Manager/Bookkeeper/Secretary to the Editor; then Office Manager/Advertising Coordinator. She was the only local on the staff and was invaluable to the new editor from California, John J. O'Connor and his staff. She was with the Dialog from 1965 to 1984. As Advertising Coordinator, she won many advertising awards for The Dialog thru Catholic Press Association and the Delaware/Maryland/DC Newspapers Association.

In 1986, Eileen worked in the Mayor's Office, in the City of Wilmington, for the late Mayor Daniel S. Frawley. In 1988, she went to work for New Castle County for Councilman Edmond M. Ianni. She was a lifelong Democrat, and worked for many years for various candidates, especially for Joe Biden in his two runs for president. In 1990, Eileen worked part-time in the legal Department of Zenaca, Inc. (chemical company) for four years. In 1994, she opened Sweeney's Irish Imports in Forty Acres. In 2004, she was joined in the business by her husband. They ran the shop until November 2009, loving every minute of their service to their wonderful Irish-loving customers!

Eileen was an original member, a charter member, of the Irish Culture Club of Delaware (ICCD). She started the ICCD's monthly newsletter and was editor of the newsletter for 30 years. She was on the St. Patrick's Day Parade committee from its beginning (1976) and served several years as co-chair of the parade. She designed the yearly Parade Ad for the News Journal, raising funds yearly to pay parade expenses. She served on the ICCD's board of directors for several terms.

Eileen was the second woman to serve on the St. Patrick's Society, a group of Delawareans who raised money for St. Patrick's Senior Center through their annual St. Patrick's Day Communion Breakfast. She was a member of the Society's off-shoot organization, the Father James Trainor Scholarship Fund, which raised funds to send students from the City schools to Catholic high schools. She was chair of the Reunion Committee of her beloved St. Paul's, for her class, for the parish.

Eileen has a great sense of humor. She was a loyal friend and was always available to anyone who needed her. She enjoyed especially being with her family and being involved with her many friends. She loved her summer home in North Wildwood, New Jersey, and enjoyed spending her summers there, riding her bike on the Jersey Cape, and sunning and swimming on the beautiful North Wildwood beaches. She loved reading and traveling with her husband.

Relatives and Friends are invited to a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Elizabeth R. Church, 809 S. Broom Street, Wilmington, DE 19805 on Wednesday March 19, 2025, at 11:00a.m. Visitation will begin at 10 at the church. Interment will follow mass at All Saints Cemetery.

In Lieu of flowers, the family asks donations to be made in Eileen's name to St. Jude Children's Hospital.