Walter Peters “Pete” Sweetman, Jr.

Walter Peters “Pete” Sweetman, Jr., age 85, of Newark, DE, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 8, 2024.

Born in Wilmington, DE on March 21, 1939, he was a son of the late Walter Peters and Dorothy Ann (Suppi) Sweetman. Pete was a graduate of Newark High School in 1957 where he played football. He proudly served in the United States Army National Guard from 1960 until 1964. Pete made his career as a shift foreman at the Delaware City Refinery until his retirement.

An avid outdoorsman, Pete loved spending his free time hunting and shooting sporting clays. He was a member of the Wilmington Trap Shooting Association as well as a lifelong member of the NRA. Pete also enjoyed feeding the birds who visited his yard. He had a passion for sports, participating in his company’s softball league and several bowling leagues in his younger years. Pete could often be found spending an afternoon on the green playing golf. He looked forward to traveling to new places, his favorite trips being to the Outer Banks and Germany with his wife. Pete was mechanically minded and there wasn’t much he couldn’t accomplish. He proudly built his log cabin with the help of family and friends. His loved ones will always remember him as a wonderful storyteller who could paint a picture with his words.

In addition to his parents, Pete was preceded in death by his daughter, Heather Sweetman; and siblings, Earl D. Sweetman and Sandra Sweetman. He is survived by his loving wife of 34 years, Ilse K. (Kühntopf) Sweetman; children, Walter Sweetman III (Stephanie), Brian Sweetman (Tammy), John Cox Jr. (Tina), Christina Bonner, and James Cox; siblings, Carol Abrams, Henry Sweetman, Paul Sweetman, and John Sweetman (Betty); grandchildren, Walter Sweetman IV (Leslie), Eric Annan Sweetman (Melissa), Nicholas Harper (Sharon), Geoffrey Harper-Sweetman (Rachel), Calypso Sarnowski (Steve), David Cox (Amber), Heather Cox, Colin Bonner, Carissa Bonner, and Riley Cox; and 22 great-grandchildren.

A visitation for family and friends will be held from 10 am until 11 am on Friday, May 24, 2024, at Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home, 1000 North DuPont Parkway, New Castle, DE, where a funeral service will begin at 11 am. Interment will follow in Gracelawn Memorial Park, 2220 North DuPont Highway, New Castle, DE.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Pete’s memory to Prostate Cancer Foundation, 1250 Fourth Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401 or online by clicking here or to Autism Speaks, Donations Processing Center, P.O. Box 37148, Boone, IA 50037-0148 or online by clicking here.