Matthew J. Sweeney Jr., a longtime Dorchester resident who served as president of Dorchester Youth Hockey, died on Sunday, Nov. 1. He was 60.
Sweeney was a well-liked presence in Dorchester’s youth sports community, where he helped guide one of the region’s most successful hockey programs.
Matt leaves behind his wife Jill and two adult children, Connor and Ryan Sweeney, along with many siblings, relatives, and friends.
As president of Dorchester Youth Hockey, Sweeney helped oversee a program that earned national recognition, including a championship run by the Dorchester Chiefs in 2010.
It was the third national championship for the Dorchester Youth Hockey Midget program, a milestone that Sweeney celebrated in an interview with the Dorchester Reporter.
“The DYH program is extremely proud of the effort showed by both the coaches and players of this team,” Sweeney told the Reporter in May 2010. “The players showed a lot of poise and class in going undefeated in this tournament.”
Sweeney was also a proud graduate of UMass Boston and served on the university’s Alumni Association Board of Directors, helping maintain connections among graduates and supporting the university’s alumni community.
In a memorial tribute released this week, the UMass Boston Alumni Association described Sweeney as “a proud UMass Boston alumnus, dedicated member of the UMass Boston Alumni Association Board of Directors, and cherished friend.”
“His kindness, friendship, and commitment to our alumni community will be deeply missed,” the association said.
His family has arranged funeral services in Dorchester this weekend.
Visiting hours will be held Sunday, Nov. 8, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the John J. O’Connor & Son Funeral Home, 740 Adams St. in Adams Village. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Monday, Nov. 9, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Brendan’s Church in Dorchester, followed by interment at Cedar Grove Cemetery.
For additional biographical information, family remembrances, and condolences, see the obituary at the John J. O’Connor & Son Funeral Home.
