Sweeney, Fleurette (Fleurette Marie) SC, died peacefully at Caritas Residence in Halifax, NS on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at the age of 96. Sister Fleurette was born in Kentville, NS on April 19, 1929, the daughter of Daniel and Lydia (Surette) Sweeney.

Even as a child, Sister Fleurette felt a longing to know God more deeply. She wanted to be a priest; however her mother explained that she could serve God as a Sister and obtain the same end. Determined to meet Sisters and learn more about their lives, she enrolled at Mount Saint Vincent University, where she soon discerned her calling. She entered the Sisters of Charity-Halifax in 1947 and made her first profession in 1949.

Sister Fleurette had a long and fruitful life dedicated to faith, education, and music. Born the second youngest of ten children in a loving and musical family, Fleurette’s early years were filled with song. Her father was a gifted fiddler, and several siblings played instruments or sang, often turning evening chores into impromptu concerts. Her parents valued education deeply and ensured their children had access to higher learning. Education became her life’s ministry, with a special love for music. She earned a master’s degree in music and psychology from the College of the Holy Names in California and developed a deep appreciation for the Kodály method of music education. In 1967, she travelled to Hungary to study under Professor Zoltán Kodály himself, a remarkable opportunity at a time when the country was still under communist rule.

Her professional life took her across the country, most notably to Vancouver, where she spent fifty-five years teaching and inspiring others through music. As a university educator, she trained countless teachers and helped adapt the Kodály method for English-speaking students, as well as for those who were deaf or learning-disabled. Passionate about lifelong learning, she received her she began doctoral studies in music education at the University of BC at the age of 66 and published her dissertation six years later. Sister Fleurette received her PhD in 2002 from UBC.

In 2017, Sister Fleurette returned to Nova Scotia to reside at Caritas Residence. Though leaving behind decades of friends and colleagues in Vancouver was a profound change, she met it with her trademark good humour and optimism. Ever the student, she continued to take online courses via Zoom and share her musical and educational gifts with others well into her 90s. Sister Fleurette will be remembered for her radiant joy, her love of creation and for learning, and her unwavering faith. She embodied the Sisters of Charity’s spirit of service through music, teaching, and faith. A talented educator, she was an exceptional teacher and role model for so many. Music was her prayer, and her life a song of gratitude.

In addition to her parents, Sister Fleurette is predeceased by her sisters Iola (MacEachern), Violet (Archambault), Georgina (Robinson), Frances (MacDonald), Geraldine (Hayes) and Marcelle Sweeney and brothers Reverand Ernest and Douglas Sweeney. She is survived by her brother Hugh (Andrea) of Upper Dyke NS, and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.
All services will be held at the Immaculate Conception Chapel, Caritas Residence, 215 Seton Road, Halifax. Seating is limited. A Welcoming and Vigil service will be held on Wednesday November 5, 2025 at 2:00pm. The Mass of Christian Burial will be on Thursday, November 6, 2025 at 10:00am.

The Funeral Mass will be livestreamed at https://vimeo.com/event/5495518/365628dded?fl=so&fe=fs

Burial will take place in the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Lower Sackville, immediately following the Funeral Mass. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sisters of Charity.