Sweat, Stephen
SWEAT, Stephen Joseph "Steve"
Steve Sweat, a laid-back and carefree arts and good food aficionado, died October 2, after surviving glioblastoma brain cancer for more than ten years. He remained positive throughout his long illness.
His wife, Ruthie, and children, Sydney, Joseph and Dylan were at his bedside. He was born March 14,1958 in Brunswick, GA where his father, Dan Sweat, was attending a Naval training school. The Navy sent Ensign Sweat to Guam and he was joined there by infant son, Steve, and wife, Tally. The Sweats returned to Atlanta and Steve grew up in Smoke Rise near Stone Mountain.
He attended Smoke Rise Elementary and graduated from Tucker High School. He graduated Georgia State University with a degree in Communications from its College of Arts and Sciences. He interned at WGCL as assistant to the film editor.
Steve then went to work at WATL and earned the reputation as the best film editor in Atlanta, according to a former newscaster at another station. Later, he worked at Crawford Communications and its subsequent owners until his illness precluded working.
Music was his avocation, especially the guitar. From a high school band practicing in the basement he segued through rock and roll and played locally in a reggae band for years. His daughter, Sydney, recalled her lullabies were Bob Marley songs and weekend wake up calls were a variety of Bob Dylan/The Who/Rolling Stones blasting at high volume.
"He was always speaking in puns or turning a sentence into a lyric, movie quote or limerick. He refused to wear anything with a label because he didn't believe in free advertising. He WOULD, however, wear anything that was tie dyed or bore a Grateful Dead logo. He was a whiz at Trivia," she added.
A Celebration of Life was held Saturday near his Lilburn home at Rivermist Clubhouse where he spent his last summers, basking in the sun poolside with his cooler and beverage, listening to music.
He is survived by his wife, mother and three children; his sister, Sally Sweat Lipsky (Jerry) of Marathon, FL and brother, Charles Sweat (Diane) of Pine Mountain, GA. Steve was preceded in death by his father, his paternal grandparents, Dan E. and Kathleen Sweat of Waycross, GA and his maternal grandparents, J. Goode and Ruby Hammock of Cuthbert, GA.
Memorials may be sent to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home, 760 Pollard Blvd. SW, Atlanta, GA 30315, where Steve received loving care in his last days.
