Bob Sweeney

November 21, 2025

Bob Sweeney, 92, lived an active live energized by his faith in Jesus Christ, his devotion to family, and his creativity in his vocation of construction. He died peacefully at VITAS Hospice on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025.

Born June 18, 1933, at Sanders Beach in downtown Pensacola, Bob was the youngest of five children of Ivan Joseph and Mary Kathleen Murphy Sweeney. He was predeceased by his parents, three brothers and sister.

Bob attended J.M. Tate High School where he met his first wife of 57 years, Shirley Pace Sweeney. Bob and Shirley married Feb. 17, 1951. They soon found a church home in Olive Baptist Church, where Bob made a profession of faith in Jesus as his Savior and followed in believer’s baptism. Bob and Shirley made Olive their church home for 54 years.

Bob said he “found” a stray horse at age 9 and began riding it to school daily. Thus began his lifelong affection for equines that led to his owning a 10-acre homestead in Cantonment for 60 years. Known to his grandchildren – Clayton and Melody – as PawPaw, he passed down his love for horses by teaching them to ride. He used his horseback riding skills in the 1960s and 1970s as a member of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Posse, performing search and rescues and representing the community in parades riding his Palomino “Peaches.”

Professionally, Bob was a Florida General Contractor and built well over 100 custom homes in the Pensacola area, including some of the first on Pensacola Beach’s Sabine Island. Then he transitioned to commercial construction. He built about 200 KFC stores across the Southeast and lastly was in charge of building some 20 churches and family life centers as superintendent for Jerry Toler Construction.

The last custom home Bob oversaw was the construction of his and his second wife Sue’s personal residence. Sue and Bob were married Jan.10, 2009, at East Brent Baptist Church where he has been a member the past 16 years. They moved into the new home in spring 2023. He personally built all the cabinets for this house!

Bob is survived by his wife, Carolyn Sue Pugh Sweeney; his daughter, Julie Gay (David) Sweeney Cameron; his youngest son, Clayton Thomas (Candy) Sweeney; his grandson, Clayton Thomas Sweeney II; his granddaughter, Melody Kathleen Cameron; his daughter-in-law, Susan Barber Sweeney; two stepsons, Jason and Jerel Pugh; and a stepdaughter, Kalyn Pugh. Bob was preceded in death last Nov. 22, 2024, by his oldest son, Stephen Robert Sweeney.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to Pensacola Habitat for Humanity.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Obituaries