Obituary of James Sweeney

James Ross Sweeney, Professor Emeritus of Medieval History, Penn State, November 18, 1940 - August 21, 2011. James "Jim" Sweeney, 70, died Sunday August 21, 2011 at The Fairways at Brookline Village in State College after a long illness. Born in Webster, Massachusetts, to the late James E. and Lillian K. Sweeney, Dr. Sweeney was a 1958 graduate of Bartlett High School. He earned a BA in History from Trinity College (Connecticut) in 1962 and a Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1971. After teaching at the University of Manitoba, Hamilton College and Wayne State University, he moved in 1974 to State College and joined the faculty of Penn State, where he taught and conducted research for over 25 years. Fluent in Hungarian and German, he also lectured frequently at the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. Dr. Sweeney was an expert on the church in the Middle Ages, particularly relations between the papacy and the Kingdom of Hungary. His interest in Hungary began as a graduate student at Cornell. The topic of his Ph.D. dissertation was the diplomatic relations between Rome and Hungary. He completed his work in 1971 after having spent a year in Munich supported by an Alexander von Humboldt fellowship. The title of his dissertation was "Papal-Hungarian Relations during the Pontificate of Innocent III, 1198-1216". He authored and edited several books, including "Popes, Teachers, and Canon Law in the Middle Ages," a volume of essays he co-edited and contributed to; a translation of Archdeacon Thomas of Spalato's account of the church of Croatia and the Mongol invasions of the Balkans. He was also co-editor of the Decreta Regni Mediaevalis Hungariae/The Laws of the Medieval Kingdom of Hungary. Dr. Sweeney wrote numerous articles focusing on Pope Innocent III's interactions with Hungary, the Mongol invasions, and the history of the Crusades. For many years he was a coordinator of the Penn State Medieval Conferences. In addition to his work, Dr. Sweeney especially enjoyed classical music, nature and gardening. For many years he maintained a large and productive vegetable garden. An excellent cook, he enjoyed entertaining family and friends and even donated his cooking ability to the occasional non-profit fundraiser. Friends and family remember him as a loving father and grandfather and a gifted conversationalist with a wry sense of humor. He is survived by his daughter, Anna Dean of Washington DC and Berlin, Germany, her husband, Nathaniel Dean, his granddaughter, Elizabeth, and his former wife, Del, of Baltimore, Maryland. He is also survived by his brother, Randall, and sister-in-law, Laura, of Brockton, Massachusetts, two nephews and a niece. A private service will be held at the convenience of the family. Donations may be made in his memory to the Library of Trinity College (check payable to Trustees of Trinity College and mailed to Trinity College Library, Attn: Jessica Smith, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06106. Please make note or memo: in memory of James Ross Sweeney). Online condolences may be made at www.kochfuneralhome.com.