Eleanor V. Sweeney

Eleanor Vinke Sweeney of Saranac Lake died at the Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake on October 27th. Eleanor was born on December 24th, 1937 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the daughter of Eleanor (Hawley) Vinke and Tys Vinke. She graduated from Middlebury College in 1959, and after living in New York City moved to Saranac Lake with her family in 1964. After taking photography classes at North Country Community College, she built a darkroom in her home and spent the remainder of her life as a professional photographer, traveling to many countries, exhibiting throughout the region, winning awards, and never ceasing to experiment and innovate with form and process. She was a founder of the Adirondack Artists Guild on Main Street in 1997, and remained an active member there until her death. She also served during the 1970s and 1980s as the Northern New York coordinator for the American Field Service exchange program, working with high school students from across the region and around the world. She shared her interests and passions with many groups of friends, including her fellow members of the Miller Pond Film Society with whom she would screen old and obscure movies; her literature and poetry loving friends with whom she would discuss and exchange books; her regular Scrabble partners who helped her keep her wits about her; and all those in the local arts community who both inspired her over the decades and on whom she had a lasting impact.

Eleanor was a generous and loving grandmother. She provided gifts of time and experiences, engaging and nurturing each grandchild in their own journey through childhood and fostering an appreciation of words, art, humor, and creativity.

She is survived by her sons and her daughters-in-law Ted Sweeney and Dominique Sweeney of Florence, Italy; John Sweeney and Lauren McGovern of Wilmington, NY; and Bill Sweeney and Eliza Paley of New York City. She is also survived by her grandchildren Johanna Sweeney, Delphine Sweeney, Roxanne Sweeney and Tys Sweeney. She was predeceased by her grandson Owen McGovern Sweeney of Wilmington, NY; her long-time partner Henry Parnass of Saranac Lake; and her former husband William A. Sweeney.

Eleanor, her friends and her family were grateful and fortunate to have had the staff and facilities at the Adirondack Medical Center available throughout the final months of her life, which allowed her to die peacefully and meaningfully within her own community.

There will be no calling hours and the family requests that no flowers be sent. Donations in her memory may be made to the Saranac Lake Free Library or North Country Public Radio. There will be a memorial gathering in Saranac Lake in early January as well as a commemorative show of her works in January at the Adirondack Artists Guild on Main Street. She will be buried in the Harrietstown Cemetery.