Cletus E. Sweigard

Cletus E. Sweigard, age 98, of Upper Sandusky, Ohio and formerly of Elyria, passed away

on Monday, July 3, 2017 at Westbrook Assisted Living in Upper Sandusky.

Clete was born December 10, 1918 in Upper Sandusky, Ohio to Leroy Lester and Magdalena

(Scheck) Sweigard, both of whom are deceased.  He married Donna Jean Tuttle on June 6, 1948 and she passed away on November 10, 1991.

He is survived by 3 sons: David (Jan) Sweigard of Lower Salem, Ohio, Daniel (Nancy) Sweigard of Cincinnati, Ohio, Timothy (Julia) Sweigard of Winter Park, Florida.  3 grandchildren: Christopher (Rebecca) Sweigard, Andrea (Charles) Fellous, Lauren Sweigard, 5 great grandchildren: Jacob, Benjamin, Matthew, Grace and Olivia, along with a brother Don Sweigard of Upper Sandusky.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, a brother Gerald and a sister, Mary Alice Ritterspach.

Clete graduated from Upper Sandusky High School in 1937 where he participated in football, basketball, glee club and choir.  He went on to Findlay College and played football  for 2 years until he was drafted into the Army serving during World War II as an airplane mechanic gunner with the 65th Bomb Squadron, serving in the Central Pacific, Bismarck Archipelago, Philippine, Northern Solomons and  New Guinea Campaigns.  For his service, he was awarded the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with 2 Bronze Stars.  Upon his return from service, Cletus went to finish his college education by entering Bowling Green State University and playing football as a walk-on. 

Clete started his teaching and coaching career back in Upper Sandusky at the High School, and later taking a position in Clearview High School, and then in Elyria at the high school, retiring after 32 years of teaching and coaching.

He was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Upper Sandusky, and while in Elyria

Clete was a member of the Community Methodist Church where he was one of the original founding member. 

He was a former member of the Kiwanis Club and Lincoln Hill Golf Club, both in Upper Sandusky,

for hobbies, Clete enjoyed bowling, golfing, traveling and camping with his

wife every year in Colorado.

Graveside services for Cletus E. Sweigard will be held at 11:00am Saturday, July 8, 2017 at the Ridge Hill Memorial Park, Amherst, Ohio.

Visitations will be held on Friday, July 7, 2017 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the Lucas-Batton Funeral Home in Upper Sandusky.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, or the American Cancer Society, and can be sent to Lucas-Batton Funeral Home, 476 S. Sandusky Ave. Upper Sandusky, Ohio 43351. 

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