Obituary for Douglas Balch Sweetser
Douglas Balch Sweetser, age 60, of Acton, MA, passed away on December 10, 2022, following complications from a heart attack.
Douglas was born in Bronxville, New York to Alan and Joan Sweetser. A brilliant student, Doug graduated from The Blake School in Minneapolis. He received a Bachelor’s degree from MIT in 1984 with a double major in Biology and Chemical Engineering. In 2002, he completed a Master's in Computer Software Engineering at Brandeis University.
Doug’s early professional work at the Whitehead Institute on the bacterial cause of leprosy was featured on the TV show NOVA.
A self-described “general-utility nerd” who read Scientific American from cover to cover from age eight, Doug grasped the potential of the Internet and joined Boston’s first ISP, TheWorld in 1998.
In 2004 he joined Black Duck Software as the ninth employee, where he enjoyed a career of growth leading to big data product management. At the time of his death, Doug was a team lead at Synopsis which acquired the company in 2017.
He met Darra Garrison through an outing club in 1994 leading to a happy and rich life partnership then marriage spanning a total of 27 years. In the summer of 1995, they discovered the Lindy Hop, a dance that was so playful and happy that it sparked a passion in both of them. They became stalwarts in the Boston Lindy Hop community for 20 years. This love of Lindy Hop swing dance made them stellar partners on the dance floor and in life.
In 2008, Doug and Darra welcomed their beloved daughter Laurencia Elle Sweetser into their family. She was adored and encouraged to be her own person from birth. Most updates from Doug started with what was new with Elle. Doug’s passions were varied and fascinating.
Doug built a recumbent cycle and debuted it in the Westport Harbor Parade years before most people had ever seen one. He electrified the bike during the pandemic and gave up driving a car.
He and his sister Adrienne were subscribers to the A.R.T. in Cambridge enjoying precious time and a shared interest in theatre together.
Physics was a particular passion. Doug’s annual Christmas card included updates on his quest to extend his understanding of physics with graphical representations of concepts derived from quaternion equations. Using art and media to get his ideas across, Doug showcased his work at Physics conferences and on a YouTube channel. The walls of his home were decorated with art pieces Doug created and all contained math references. Learn more at Doug’s site www.quaternions.com.
Doug was a member of the First Church Unitarian church in Littleton, MA. where he was active with the men’s club and played ukelele with the UU Ukes. When the pandemic started, Doug lent his technical expertise to live streaming services, continuing to serve as tech master.
Doug generously provided remote technology expertise when called upon. These talents allowed Sue Gleason, Doug’s much-loved mother-in-law to continue teaching flute and recorder to her students through the pandemic, a gift for which she will be forever grateful.
Doug was predeceased by his parents Alan and Joan Sweetser of Wayzata, MN, and grandparents Frank and Laurencia “Blanche” Quinn of Fall River, MA. He is survived by his wife Darra and daughter Elle, mother-in-law Sue Gleason, brother Arthur and his wife Cindy Sweetser, sister Lydia Sweetser Gollner and her husband
William Gollner, sister Adrienne Sweetser & her husband Richard Weed, as well as nieces and nephews; Theodore and his wife Hilary Sweetser, Grace Sweetser, Asa Sweetser, Alexandra Gollner and Nicholas Gollner.
A Memorial Service for Doug will be held on Saturday, January 7, 2023, at 1 PM at the First Church Unitarian 19 Foster St, Littleton, MA. The service will be live-streamed on YouTube and Zoom. Please see the Acton Funeral Home website at https://www.actonfuneralhome.com/obituary-listing for remote access links. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, his family requests that donations be made to an education fund for Elle Sweetser. Please contact Arthur Sweetser at asweetser1@gmail.com for the link.
To Join Zoom for the Memorial Service:
https://zoom.us/j/94050745466
(Or, for audio only, dial by your location +1 929 205 6099, Meeting ID: 940 5074 5466, Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ad7uv8uhfd)
To watch on YouTube live: http://youtube.com/firstchurchunitarianlittleton/live
Douglas was born in Bronxville, New York to Alan and Joan Sweetser. A brilliant student, Doug graduated from The Blake School in Minneapolis. He received a Bachelor’s degree from MIT in 1984 with a double major in Biology and Chemical Engineering. In 2002, he completed a Master's in Computer Software Engineering at Brandeis University.
Doug’s early professional work at the Whitehead Institute on the bacterial cause of leprosy was featured on the TV show NOVA.
A self-described “general-utility nerd” who read Scientific American from cover to cover from age eight, Doug grasped the potential of the Internet and joined Boston’s first ISP, TheWorld in 1998.
In 2004 he joined Black Duck Software as the ninth employee, where he enjoyed a career of growth leading to big data product management. At the time of his death, Doug was a team lead at Synopsis which acquired the company in 2017.
He met Darra Garrison through an outing club in 1994 leading to a happy and rich life partnership then marriage spanning a total of 27 years. In the summer of 1995, they discovered the Lindy Hop, a dance that was so playful and happy that it sparked a passion in both of them. They became stalwarts in the Boston Lindy Hop community for 20 years. This love of Lindy Hop swing dance made them stellar partners on the dance floor and in life.
In 2008, Doug and Darra welcomed their beloved daughter Laurencia Elle Sweetser into their family. She was adored and encouraged to be her own person from birth. Most updates from Doug started with what was new with Elle. Doug’s passions were varied and fascinating.
Doug built a recumbent cycle and debuted it in the Westport Harbor Parade years before most people had ever seen one. He electrified the bike during the pandemic and gave up driving a car.
He and his sister Adrienne were subscribers to the A.R.T. in Cambridge enjoying precious time and a shared interest in theatre together.
Physics was a particular passion. Doug’s annual Christmas card included updates on his quest to extend his understanding of physics with graphical representations of concepts derived from quaternion equations. Using art and media to get his ideas across, Doug showcased his work at Physics conferences and on a YouTube channel. The walls of his home were decorated with art pieces Doug created and all contained math references. Learn more at Doug’s site www.quaternions.com.
Doug was a member of the First Church Unitarian church in Littleton, MA. where he was active with the men’s club and played ukelele with the UU Ukes. When the pandemic started, Doug lent his technical expertise to live streaming services, continuing to serve as tech master.
Doug generously provided remote technology expertise when called upon. These talents allowed Sue Gleason, Doug’s much-loved mother-in-law to continue teaching flute and recorder to her students through the pandemic, a gift for which she will be forever grateful.
Doug was predeceased by his parents Alan and Joan Sweetser of Wayzata, MN, and grandparents Frank and Laurencia “Blanche” Quinn of Fall River, MA. He is survived by his wife Darra and daughter Elle, mother-in-law Sue Gleason, brother Arthur and his wife Cindy Sweetser, sister Lydia Sweetser Gollner and her husband
William Gollner, sister Adrienne Sweetser & her husband Richard Weed, as well as nieces and nephews; Theodore and his wife Hilary Sweetser, Grace Sweetser, Asa Sweetser, Alexandra Gollner and Nicholas Gollner.
A Memorial Service for Doug will be held on Saturday, January 7, 2023, at 1 PM at the First Church Unitarian 19 Foster St, Littleton, MA. The service will be live-streamed on YouTube and Zoom. Please see the Acton Funeral Home website at https://www.actonfuneralhome.com/obituary-listing for remote access links. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, his family requests that donations be made to an education fund for Elle Sweetser. Please contact Arthur Sweetser at asweetser1@gmail.com for the link.
To Join Zoom for the Memorial Service:
https://zoom.us/j/94050745466
(Or, for audio only, dial by your location +1 929 205 6099, Meeting ID: 940 5074 5466, Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ad7uv8uhfd)
To watch on YouTube live: http://youtube.com/firstchurchunitarianlittleton/live