Obituary of Daniel Carrington Sweet

Dan Sweet passed away after a brief illness on Saturday, October 5, 2024.

He was born on July 14, 1948 in Mobile, AL, where he was raised. He led a very interesting and storied life. He grew up in the Springhill area and attended St. Ignatius and McGill Catholic Schools. He discovered the sport of golf and went on to become a Junior Golf champion and attend Ole Miss on a golf scholarship.  He worked several different jobs until he discovered a love of the restaurant and  bar business. He spent the next 2 decades building and owning establishments from Tuscaloosa to southern Alabama. He was one of the original owners of Judge Roy Bean’s in Daphne, AL and built the first Margaritaville with Jimmy Buffet in Gulf Shores, AL. He met his wife, Julie there in 1983. After marrying Julie and moving to Santa Monica, California in 1986, Dan returned to his love of golf and sold golf clubs to the stars in West Los Angeles until 1988. After moving south to San Diego in 1988, Dan discovered the wire rope and rigging business and started out in pursuit of what would be his career for the rest of his working life. Dan and Julie had their son, Carrington there in 1991 and immediately moved back home to Alabama to raise their new family out of the fast lane of southern California. They settled in Daphne, AL and Dan began working in the rigging business in Mobile, AL. Within a year, he met a man in New Orleans with whom he became destined to build a rigging/lifting business. He never looked back and spent the next 25 years traveling all over the world working on some of the biggest lifts, most cutting edge industry revolutionizing projects and providing a spectacular life for Julie and Carrington as well as all of his family and friends. He was loved far and wide and was always regarded as a friend by his clients. He took Julie and Carrington around the world with him every chance he could and always encouraged their interests at home. He supported both of their music careers and always found a way to make dreams happen. He was never more proud than when Carrington followed in his footsteps and took over his position in the business upon retiring, except for when his grandson Shaw was born in 2019. He was blessed to see Carrington marry Rachel shortly before he became ill. He was never happier than when he could present a gift to someone that expressed his sincere interest in what made them smile.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Lucile Sweet and Brother, John F. Sweet.

He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Julie Sweet, his son, Carrington Sweet, his daughter-in-law Rachel Sweet, his grandson Shaw B. Sweet, his brother James H. Sweet, his sisters-in-law Vashti Sweet and Betty Sweet, Nephews John Sweet and his wife Mary Sweet and Parker Sweet and his wife Dr. Rebecca Sweet along with his great nieces Cori McDonald and her husband Brady McDonald, Haley Sweet, Chelly Porter and Madeline Sweet, and great nephews Alex Bertagnolli and Rhett Porter. 

There is a huge hole in the fabric of all of the lives he touched, but we are all so much better for him having been a thread in that fabric. We will all miss you Dan. Godspeed to you and we all know you are being held in the arms of all who loved you that have gone before. We know you will be waiting for us all on the other side…with a cold Margarita and that good dog Bayla.

The family will hold a memorial service at a later date and are asking for donations to your favorite charity or hurricane relief in lieu of flowers.

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