Josephine Ruth Sweeden

On Thursday, January 16, 2025 our beloved and treasured matriarch of our family, Grandma Josephine, joined her Lord and Savior in her heavenly home. Josephine Ruth Patton Sweeden was born in Kansas City, MO on May 10, 1927 to Joseph Patton and Margaret Rose Patton.

On September 11, 1948, Josephine married Clyde Sweeden and to this union she was able to start her long lasting family legacy with Suzi Luzicka (Steve), Kathie Gattenby (Richard), Darrell Sweeden (Darlene), and Margie Hurd (Mark). She had 12 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren, 13 great great grandchildren. She lived in the Independence, MO area most all of her life. While her most proud accomplishments were being mom, grandma, sister, daughter, aunt, and friend, she also had a career at Transport Clearing and most recently The State of Missouri, retiring in 1992. She always talked about wanting to travel. After retirement, she was able to join Margie and Mark in various trips that formed precious memories, including going to Alaska, Hawaii, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wells. One of her favorite trips was going to Australia with Suzi to see Erica.

Grandma Josephine had many talents, but one that everyone got to be blessed to experience was her gift of being able to bake and cook. Christmas Day at noon always had a spread of food that left not one single person hungry. She enjoyed decorating Christmas cookies with Kathie, and especially enjoyed eating them after she iced them. She loved singing, and never forgot her hymnals, specifically “In the Garden (her favorite), “How Great Thou Art”, and “Jesus Loves the Little Children”. She was a shining example of “unconditional love”. She loved everyone, even if they weren’t directly related to her. Everyone was always welcome and were part of the family if you walked thru her door. She had a heart that always had room to love more and more people. Her ability to make a magical weekend for her grandkids by merely spending time with them and maybe catching a movie, going to the donut shop (especially Poppy’s with her grandson Josh), and hitting the dime store Benjamin Franklin are memories her grandkids hold dear. She loved watching movies at home, most favorite being her Shirley Temple movies. We know Grandma Josephine is dancing in heaven with Shirley Temple and Bojangles. Also in heaven she joined husband Clyde, her great grandsons Landon and Joshua, granddaughter Michelle, sisters Elizabeth and Dolly, son (in-law) Richard, her mom and daddy, her lifelong best friend Betty Henley, and countless other beloved family and friends. 

Grandma Josephine made an impact on every life she touched. She was a selfless example of how to love unconditionally. She set a beautiful example of how to live your life faithfully despite what is thrown at you. She was a strong woman of faith, and we can take comfort knowing she is living with God as she had always wanted. She showed her children how to be the best mother you could ever have, which they have since passed down to their children and grandchildren. While we all know she is in heaven, to say she will be greatly missed is a huge understatement. There is a huge hole in our hearts for her. The message she would want you all to know is that her greatest desire is for all of those whose lives she touched to join her in heaven thru salvation in Jesus Christ.

Services for Grandma Josephine will be at Speaks Funeral Home at 1501 W. Lexington Ave, Independence, MO 64052 on Tuesday, January 21, 2025 beginning with visitation from 1pm-2pm and her service to follow. Graveside service will be afterwards at Brooking Cemetery, 10004 E 53rd St, Kansas City, 64133.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made “In Memory of Josephine Sweeden” to Shriner’s Hospitals for Children.