BX August 2, 1960
George E.F. Sweet Dies in Bracebridge
George Edmond Foster Sweet, QC, 249 Dufferin Avenue, died this morning in hospital at Bracebridge.
He was prominent in legal, military, musical and political circles in Brantford for many years.
He had been at his summer home in Lake Rosseau when he became ill.
Born in Brantford, Mr. Sweet, who was in his 64th year, was the son of Edmund Sweet and Edith Foster Sweet.
His father was also a prominent lawyer, a king’s counsellor and a Bencher of the Upper Canadian Law Society.
Mr. Sweet was educated in Brantford public schools, the B.C.I. and the University of Toronto.
After a short time in journalism through The Expositor and the Ottawa Citizen, he was called to the bar with honors in 1921. In 1956 he was honored by being made a Queen’s Counsel.
A veteran of two world wars, he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Second World War, serving as commander of the Dufferin Rifles.
He began his military career as a private in the Dufferin Rifles after service with the B.C.I. cadets.
In 1940 he was second in command of the Dufferin and Haldimand Regiment at Camp Borden, and later was assistant quartermaster-general at Camp Borden – a post which he held for three years.
He was secretary to the special returning officer for the vote of Canadian active service members during the federal election in 1940.
In music circles Mr. Sweet was prominent as a tenor soloist – being a gold medalist – also as an organist and choir leader. He was a soloist in the Schubert Choir under the late Dr. Henri K. Jordan, a soloist in Zion Church, and organist and choir leader at Farringdon Independent Church.
Mr. Sweet was a member of the noted Brantford Rotary Club quartet of Ernie Moule, Dr. E.J. Amos, Walter Carpenter and himself.
Mr. Sweet was keenly interested in politics and was closely associated with the Liberal party. He was a past president of the Brantford Liberal Association, and acted as candidate’s agent in several campaigns.
Mr. Sweet was a member of Brant Avenue United Church, an honorary member of the Brantford Rotary Club, a past president of the Brant County Law Society and a member of the Upper Canada Law Society; and a member of the Brantford Club.
He was also active in the Brantford Nature Club, affiliated with the Federation of Ontario Naturalists.
Surviving are his wife the former Muriel F. Phelps and one son, Edmond, of Brantford.
He will rest at Thorpe Brothers’’ Funeral Home until Friday, when the service will be conducted in Farringdon Church at 2 p.m. Interment will be in Farringdon Burial Ground.
