Howard J. Sweeney, M.D.

Husband, Father, Uncle, Grandfather, Great Grandfather Committed Teacher, Innovator, and Pioneer in Orthopaedic Arthroscopy and Education Sweeney, Howard Jerome, MD, age 94, was born on June 21, 1926 to Edward and Stella (Cigrand) Sweeney in Chicago. A world-renowned orthopaedic surgeon and Northwestern University Wildcats’ team doctor, Howard’s remarkable life was guided by love of family and medicine. He was married to Kathleen Patricia Power, the love of his life, for 65 wonderful years until she passed in 2014. They created a beautiful, loving family, raising their seven children and three nieces whom they loved as their own: the late Eileen (Larry Johnston) Sweeney of Washington, D.C., Gail (the late David) Ghere of Stillwater, MN, Patrick (Sharon Brown-Sweeney) Sweeney of Flossmoor, Maureen (Corinne Kawecki) Sweeney of Evanston, Laura (John) Kelly of Northbrook, Carolyn (Steve) Luczak of Rockford, Timothy Sweeney of Northbrook, Kathy Greene of River Grove, Sandy (Timothy) Whaley of Yorkville, Michael Sweeney of Glenview and daughter-in-law Margy Sweeney of Evanston. He was a warm and generous “Grandpa” to his 21 grandchildren, Erin, Edward, Christopher, Matthew, Sean, Timothy, Daniel, Kate, Shannon, Tricia, Megan, Brendan, Taylor, Maura, Nikki, Morgan, Nina, Maddie, Emma, Benjamin, and Clare; and “Papa” to his 12 great-grandchildren. Howard attended Northwestern University as an undergraduate and medical student. He served in the Army in Japan near the end of World War II. He enjoyed a distinguished career as an orthopaedic surgeon at Evanston Hospital from 1957 until 2002, also teaching at Northwestern Medical School during that time. In 2007, he was inducted into the Northwestern Athletic Hall of Fame after acting as team doctor beginning in 1964 and Head Team Physician from 1984 to 2002. He was described during the induction ceremony as “passionate, caring, ethical and wise,” words true both personally and professionally. Howard was a Clinical Associate Professor at University of Chicago Medical School from 2009-2021. Dedicated to a lifetime of service and teaching, Howard was honored to serve as Chairman of the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery at Evanston Northwestern Health Care; president of the Arthroscopy Association of North America; president of the Irish-American Orthopaedic Association; and a founder and president of the Orthopaedic Learning Center. After his retirement in 2002, he founded the Global Arthroscopy Foundation to connect doctors in sixteen different developing countries with arthroscopic surgery training, mentorship, and supplies. In 2019, when Howard stopped teaching, One World Surgery took on the mission of the Global Arthroscopy Foundation. Throughout his life he explored the potential of new technologies, including most recently virtual reality, to improve arthroscopic surgery. Howard loved his large family. In the 1960’s, he built a trailer for annual camping trips throughout the western USA including a 1969 trip driving the unpaved ALCAN highway to Alaska with Kathleen and seven children in a Mercury station wagon. He rarely missed a Wildcat football game (at home or on the road) and never missed Christmas morning with his family—even flying home for the holiday while the Wildcats were in California training for the 1996 Rose Bowl. He delighted his grandchildren by running his model trains around the house. He never failed to cry when reciting the Irish Blessing at family weddings, most recently by video for a granddaughter’s wedding last fall; his love for family always shone through. His legacy lives on in his family, the doctors he mentored and the many people whose lives he touched. Attendance will be limited to family to observe pandemic safety at the memorial service at Donnellan Funeral Home. To view the Funeral Service live Saturday, April 3, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. CLICK HERE Interment All Saints Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to One World Surgery 510 Lake Cook Road Suite 400 Deerfield, IL 60015 https://oneworldsurgery.org/ Info: donnellanfuneral.com or (847)675-1990.