Rachel A. (Smith) Lowe

LANCASTER

Rachel A. (Smith) Lowe, 87, died Tuesday, July 8, 2025, in her home.  She is now reunited with her loving husband of 62 years, James M. Lowe, who died in September 2024.

She is survived by her daughter, Michelle R. (Lowe) Harris, and her husband, Timothy, of Leominster; a brother, Wendell Smith and his wife, Monique, of FL;  three grandsons: Christopher Harris and his fiancée, Jordin Lee, Collin Harris and his wife, Nicole, and Carter Harris and his wife, Lauren; two great-grandsons, Jaxon James Harris and Conner James Harris; one great-granddaughter, Tessa Nicole Harris; in-laws Nancy Smith of FL, Robert Lowe, Ellen Kosiewski, Patricia Lowe and Christine Lowe, all of Sterling; her dear friend, Sandra Miller, of Lancaster; her canine companions, Mindy and Mya; and many nieces, nephews, and friends. Two siblings, Ronald Smith of Fl, and Eleanor Mapes of CA, predeceased her.

Rachel was born in Shrewsbury, VT, daughter of George and Marion Smith, and was raised there until her teenage years, at which time she relocated to Lancaster to attend South Lancaster Academy, from where she graduated in 1956.

For many years, she was employed by Digital Equipment Corp., in their software distribution department, retiring at age 55.  Never one to sit idle, she soon returned to the workforce, taking on parttime hours in the stockroom at JC Penney, Marlborough, and later, at Market Basket, Leominster, where she worked for 13 years until again retiring at age 83.  

Always active, Rachel enjoyed camping and snowmobiling in her younger years, regular visits to the Sterling Ice Cream Bar, working on jigsaw puzzles, attending Daniel O’Donnell concerts and other outings with her sister-in-law, Ellen, Patricia and Christine, and getting her nails done with Sandy.

The Lowe family wishes to thank Rachel’s caregivers, Mandy and Stephen, for the kind, compassionate care shown to her.

Rachel’s family and friends will gather to honor and remember her life on Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at the McNally & Watson Funeral Home, 304 Church St., Clinton, with visitation from 10:00-11:00 AM, immediately followed by a service at 11:00 a.m., and burial in St. John’s Cemetery, Lancaster.  For those who wish, please consider a donation in memory of Rachel Lowe and her love for animals, to the MSPCA-Angell, 350 South Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02130.