“Readers of this site and of McSweeney’s generally may be aware that this enterprise was named after a real man named Timothy McSweeney. […] We bring today the news that Timothy McSweeney passed away on January 24.”
McSweeney’s has announced that Timothy McSweeney died recently at the age of 67 (be sure to click the link and read The McSweeney family’s moving note).
The story behind the man and the name can be read here.