Virginia Neely Sweet

Virginia Neely Sweet, born in DeQueen, Arkansas on August 6, 1923, the daughter of Earnest Roy Neely and Gertrude Josephine Dildy, and the widow of Edward Muir (Tid) Sweet (to whom she was wed 59 years, 3 months and 18 days), died peacefully and gratefully in the company of her sister, Joan Fraser,on Saturday morning, November 17 at Jane Phillips Hospital. She is survived by her beloved daughter, Jan Sweet Freeman of Hillsborough, NC; her sister Joan Neely Fraser and brother-in-law, H. B. Fraser of Bartlesville; nephews David Fraser, Robert (Bob) Fraser, Michael Fraser, Joe Neely, Jim Neely; and long-time family friend of Tokyo, Japan, Fumiko Kudaka. Married to the love of her life in 1942, after graduating from high school in her hometown of Muskogee, she and Tid and Jan lived throughout the United States with a final tour on Okinawa, Japan. She and Tid settled in Bartlesville in 1967. An employee and volunteer of art instruction at the Bartlesville Public Schools, she taught for 30 years on all levels from pre-K through senior high school. She was a strong advocate for youth and art in the schools. For a number of years she served as chairman for Bartlesville Art Association committees that reviewed high school student portfolios and awarded scholarships to graduating art students from both Bartlesville High School and Dewey High School, as well as other area schools. She brought her passion for teaching and encouraging the love of art to community youth, and the young at heart, regardless of education, age, or experience, teaching privately and professionally for over 40 years in pottery, collage, oil, acrylic, watercolor, printmaking, paper-making, book construction, sculpture, drawing, and pastel. Participating in numerous group exhibits as well as more than a dozen one-woman art shows, her commitment to the arts and teaching remained constant throughout her life. As the first elected and founding member of the Bartlesville Arts and Humanities Council, she served as counselor and advisor for the organization for many years. In 1974 she received the Outstanding Citizen Award from the organization and was also honored by inclusion in Taproots, a locally authored and published book series featuring exceptional women in the area. She attended the Joslyn School of Art in Omaha, Nebraska for three years studying design, portrait oil, life drawing, watercolor and acrylic painting. She was also a graduate of the Sogetsu School of Flower Arranging of Tokyo, Japan. She studied Japanese flower arranging while her family lived on Okinawa as well as pottery, drawing, and painting. She served as President of Ikebana International of Tulsa (Chapter # 75) for two consecutive terms and taught both flower arranging and pottery making for the Tulsa Ikebana chapter. An insatiable student, she attended a lifetime of individual workshops throughout the U.S. studying a wide variety of mediums. Virginia was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, the Bartlesville Art Association, the Bartlesville Arts and Humanities Council, the Tulsa Garden Center, Ikebana of Tulsa, the Price Tower Art Center Museum, and described herself as a child of God, a mother, a teacher, and an artist. Virginia's memorial service will be held on Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 2:00 PM at the First Presbyterian Church, 505 SE Dewey, Bartlesville, with a reception to follow at the Art Center in Johnstone Park. In lieu of flowers, she may be remembered by contributions to Martha's Task, 718 S. Johnstone; the Bartlesville Art Association Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 961; or the First Presbyterian Church Youth and Education Fund, 505 SE Dewey--all of Bartlesville. PDF Printable Version

Virginia Neely Sweet

August 6, 1923 - November 17, 2012