Cassandra Sweeney
Pound Ridge, N.Y. — Cassandra “Candy” White Sweeney died peacefully in her sleep at her home in Pound Ridge, N.Y., on Saturday morning, Aug. 5, following a lengthy illness.
Candy was born Aug. 22, 1958, at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London. She was the daughter of the late Charles Bradley White and the late Anne Holmes White of Watch Hill, R.I.
Candy is survived by her husband, Thomas J. Sweeney III; her daughter, Keelin Maire White Sweeney; her sister, Starr White Snead of Charleston, S.C.; and her brother, William King White of South Kingstown, R.I. Candy’s sister, Marice White Dwyer of New York City, predeceased her in 1989.
Candy grew up in Watch Hill and attended Pine Point School in Stonington through grade 9, graduating with the class of 1973. She completed her secondary education at Westover School in Middlebury in 1976, and continued on to Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., graduating cum laude in 1980 with an A.B. degree in history.
Mr. and Mrs. Sweeney were married in Watch Hill, R.I., in July 1982. In 1985, the Sweeneys moved from New York City to Pound Ridge, N.Y. Mrs. Sweeney’s husband and daughter continue to reside in Pound Ridge.
The Sweeneys own a residence in Westerly and are longstanding members of the Misquamicut Club and the East Beach Association in Watch Hill. Candy’s mother’s and father’s families owned various residences in Watch Hill throughout the families’ longstanding tenure there.
Following graduation from Wheaton College, Mrs. Sweeney worked until 1983 at Bankers Trust, N.Y., in the investment, personal trust and recruiting departments. From 1985-1988, she was associate director of development/ alumnae director for Westover School. From 1988-1993, Candy worked at the New Canaan Country School in New Canaan as associate in the school’s development office (advancement office).
Candy earned her Master of Arts in teaching (MAT) degree from Manhattanville College in 2004. Later that year, she began teaching at Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich. She continued her elementary school teaching career there through 2016 and taught both third and fourth grades. A longtime colleague there recalls that “absolutely no one was more conscientious than she was. Candy was wide open to suggestions as to her teaching style, content presentation, classroom management – anything and everything.”
Candy continued her service to schools throughout her life. She served on the Board of Trustees of Pine Point School from 1996-2000.
At Westover School, she was a member of the Alumnae Association Board of Governors from 1983-1985 and again from 1989-1993. She was president of the Alumnae Association from 1991-1993, during which time she served concurrently on the school’s Board of Trustees. She served again as a Westover trustee from 2010-2016.
Calling hours are scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 9, at Buckler-Johnston Funeral Home, 121 Main St., Westerly. Funeral services will take place starting at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 10, in the Watch Hill Chapel. The service will be followed by a reception at The Cooked Goose. Attendance at the burial immediately following the funeral service is limited to family members.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Westover School or Pine Point School. For online condolences, please visit www.buckler-johnston.com.