Sheila Lowe

Sheila passed away peacefully in her home on November 6th, after a brief stint with pancreatic cancer. Sheila was born November 25th, 1952 to Edwin Henry and Marion (Johnson) Bartlett at Grace Cottage Hospital in Townshend, VT. She got her 1st through 8th grade education at Dover Elementary which was located at the Dover Common. She used to walk to school with her siblings, because they lived too close to the school to be allowed to ride the bus. After school, one of the kids had to ride on the afternoon mail run with her dad from Wilmington to Williamsville Depot. The kids that didn’t go on the mail run had to do chores, taking care of the barn full of animals. During the winter while she was in high school, she worked at Haystack Ski area as ticket stapler, and later as a ticket seller on weekends and vacations. Sheila got her 9th through 12th grade education at Brattleboro Union High School. She took book keeping classes, and paid for hot lunches by going to the office and rolling coins for the lunch lady during study hall. In 12th grade, she got early release and worked in the book keeping department at Angel’s Automotive on Flat Street. She continued to work there after graduating, until she married Reginald Tim Lowe. They got married on December 2nd, 1971. She then moved to Jamaica, VT. They were going to marry on her birthday, but didn’t realize there was a waiting period after getting the license. They waited a week, and then went back to the Justice of the Peace. Reg’s brother, David, and his wife, Maxine, stood up with them in Jamaica Village at Hubert Crowninshield’s home. After Sheila and Reg got married, she worked sewing puppets and stuffed animals at Mary Meyers in Townshend, VT. She gave up working after her first child, Pam, was born. Then came Chris, Ben, and Josie. There was always plenty to do at home, being right around the corner from Reg’s family farm. She was a woman of many talents; gardening, cooking, baking, canning and freezing, raising an array of animals; pigs, beef, chickens, and a milk cow, so she could make butter. She passed along many of her skills and knowledge to her children and grandchildren. After her kids were grown up, she put her gift of caring for children to work for the whole community when she went to work at Jamaica Village School, where she spent over 20 years. She was extremely respected and looked up to by kids and parents alike, thanks to her ability to handle all kinds. Sheila was famous for her cakes (over 400 for various events), rolls and pigs in a blanket at family gatherings, her knowledge of genealogy, and scalloped potatoes at town meetings. She was a familiar face for 50 years of volunteering at Grace Cottage Fair Day. She was the best at front flips off the dock, even into her 70’s. She was always smiling and laughing, with a great demeanor and outlook…even if she was angry and it was the scariest giggle you’ve ever heard. She was the most selfless person, always making sure everyone around her was happy and cared for. There was rarely a time you could spot her without a camera in hand, always getting everybody’s best (and worst) moments, and never deleting any of them. Shelia spent lots of time with Reg and her kids, having parties at the pond, camping in the woods, hosting lots of family suppers, and trips to Six Flags. Sheila, or Sheldo as Jake would call her, spent all the time she could with her grandchildren. She enjoyed spending the summers swimming in the pond, lots of weekends at Camp Lowe, sledding in the driveway, an infinite number of sleepovers, lots of cards and board games, helping with homework and homeschooling, movies and various activities on the porch, and tolerated all of their basement performances, even if looking back at the videos she took, we aren’t exactly sure how, but at least her and Reg had their “special drinks”.

Sheila is survived by her brothers, Warren Bartlett and Steven & Edna Bartlett. Sister-in-laws, Maxine Lowe, Sandy Bartlett, Barbara Lowe, and Phyllis Roberts. Daughter Pam & Roy Coburn, son Chris & Julie Lowe, son Ben Lowe & Sara Barnard, daughter Josie & Ronnie Betit. Grand-children Abby & Kristen Lowe, Evan & Aden Bernard, and Easton Betit. She is also survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews. Sheila was predeceased by her husband Reg, her parents, brothers Rex, Phil & Kenneth Bartlett, sisters Effie Chamberlin & Eleanor Lowe, grandson Jacob Topping.

Per Sheila’s wishes, there will be no services.