Obituary for
Ronald Andrew Sweetman
86, of Ottawa, Ontario peacefully checked into the jazz club in the sky on October 24, 2018.
Ron is survived by his loving and devoted wife Jennifer Dickson of 56 years, son Bill and daughter-in-law Yvonne. But he will be missed by many, many more. Frequently described as being “sweet by name, sweet by nature,” Ron truly lived up to his wonderful surname. He was a wonderful husband, father, mentor, and loyal friend.
Ron was born in England in 1932. He initially trained and worked as a chartered accountant before eventually finding his true professional calling as an international management consultant. Although based in Canada, he worked in over 20 other countries over a period of 35 years.
Ron retired in 2012 to devote all his energy to his biggest passion, jazz music. A lifelong fan of jazz in all its eclectic forms, Ron hosted a weekly jazz radio show, “In a Mellow Tone”, on CKCU FM in Ottawa for 39 years. He was a founding member of L’Atelier de Musique Experimentale, Jazz Ottawa, and Music Now. Ron was one of the founders of the Ottawa Jazz Festival, as well as contributing album and concert reviews to such international publications as CODA and DownBeat. Ron was also fond of animals, spicy food, whiskey, and an after-dinner cigar. A true gentleman, Ron always had a twinkle in his eye, a funny joke to tell, and kindness in his heart.
Thank you to the amazing staff at St. Patrick’s Home in Ottawa for their compassionate care and support, as well as Dr. Fawzi Mankal and Dr. Anusha Jahagirdar.
In keeping with Ron’s wishes, there will not be a visitation or funeral service. There will, however, be a music-filled party celebrating his life to be held at a future date in Ottawa. Please email PartyForRon@kalixo.com for further details about this event. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Ron’s name to the Dementia Society of Ottawa and Renfrew County (www.dementiahelp.ca).
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Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Ronald Andrew
Sweetman 1932 2018.
Décès pour la Ville: Ottawa, Province: Ontario
