Obituary of Donal Sweeney

Colonel Donal F. Sweeney, M.D., passed away peacefully on April 17, 2018 in Carlsbad, California at 84 years old. A retired United States Air Force Colonel and physician, he was a long time Santa Barbara resident.

 Donal was born on October 31, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York to Eugene and Elizabeth Sweeney. He graduated with honors from medical school in New York and joined the Air Force to complete his residency at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He moved with his family to Travis Air Force Base in California, before launching his medical practice in Santa Barbara. Donal later rejoined the Air Force as a reserve officer, worked with the U.S. Surgeon General at the Pentagon, and proudly served during Desert Storm and concluded his medical career as Medical Director at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Donal was board certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonology, and Addiction Medicine.

 Donal practiced at Santa Barbara Medical Foundation Clinic, Schick Shadel Hospital of Santa Barbara, and Cottage Hospital during his many decades in Santa Barbara. While in the USAF, he gave astronaut John Glenn his pre-flight physical prior to Glenn’s orbital flight. Donal additionally was an author of many medical journal articles and two notable books. Upon his retirement from NASA/JPL, he received a flyover from the USAF Thunderbirds and was awarded with an asteroid named after him. An avid swimmer, he received a Presidential Award for his swimming.

He is survived by his wife, Jo Pender Sweeney of Carlsbad, California, and his four children: Kevin (Vicky) of Phoenix, Arizona; Timothy (Cheryl) of Santa Barbara, California;  Daniel (Marla) of Newburg, Oregon;  and Kimberly (Don) of Scottsdale, Arizona;  as well as ten grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his siblings, Owen, Gene, and Elizabeth. He was preceded in death by his parents and two of his siblings, Brian and Stephen.

Donal will be remembered as a devoted family man, a dedicated physician and committed military officer.

A funeral mass will be held on Friday, May 4, 2018 at 10:00am at the Old Mission Santa Barbara, followed by a burial service with military guard at Santa Barbara Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Old Mission Santa Barbara in Donal’s name.

Arrangements entrusted to McDermott Crockett Mortuary.