John William Sweemer, 98 of Pittsboro, NC went to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 having had a long and good life.   John was preceded in death by his parents,  John and Alma Sweemer of Sheboygan, WI four sisters, a brother and his loving wife, Mildred with whom he celebrated 56 years of marriage.  John is survived by his brother Gordon Sweemer in Lebanon, OH,  son John and daughter in law Jean,  his daughter Susan and son in law Chip Armstrong  and  daughter Melodee Bartel along with 9 grandkids and 14 great grandkids.

John enjoyed art and painting from a very young age and with the encouragement of his high school art teacher pursued an art degree with an international correspondence school.  In September 1942,  he  enlisted in the Coast Guard and served during World War II protecting our coastal waters off the East Coast, being discharged from service in January 1946.  Later that year John entered the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts in downtown Chicago and upon graduation started work with a commercial art studio in Chicago.

In 1949,  after a short courtship, John married Mildred Alice Lent.  In 1953 John started his own commercial art studio with an office overlooking Michigan and Wacker avenues in downtown Chicago.  During the early years of their marriage, he ministered in several churches using his talent to do "chalk talks" for youth meetings, later moving to Wheaton, IL.  There were good and challenging times and he regularly thanked God for His providing through those years.  During this time John and Millie were actively involved with the Warrenville Bible Chapel where he was an elder.   After 32 years of commuting to downtown Chicago, John moved his office to his home in Wheaton, IL to better care for Millie.  In 1997 John and Millie relocated to Cary, NC to be closer to family.

As John neared retirement from commercial art, it was his desire to get into the fine art of watercolor painting.  With the inspiration of the local art league and lots of practice he became a signature member of the "Transparent Watercolor Society of America"

His favorite subjects for paintings are harbor and marine scenes though he enjoyed landscapes and still life scenes as well.  John shared that a number of his customers commented that his work was "peaceful and relaxing"  Thinking about that, he realized that it is because he had inner peace which comes from the "God of all peace".  He thanked his heavenly Father for the ability He had given him to visualize on paper or canvas that which he loved to see and appreciate.

Most of John's paintings are in private collections in homes as well as institutional collections and  local hospitals.  John was a member of the Fine Arts League of Cary, the Watercolor Society of NC, the Triangle Artists Guild and had been honored with numerous awards.

John had a full and God honoring life and left a legacy that extends to all who knew him.  John was buried at the Montlawn Memorial Cemetery in Raleigh NC on October 5, 2020 joining Millie who passed on to be with her Lord  in October 2005.