Dorothy A. Lord

Dorothy A. Lord, 83, of Lowell passed away peacefully on Friday, November 28, 2025, at Lowell General Hospital in Lowell, MA. She was born in Montague, MA and raised in Greenfield, MA, the eldest daughter of the late Stella and Julian Margola. She earned a B.A in Education from UMass, Amherst and, while there, met her husband, Raymond J. Lord. They raised a family in Lowell, MA and were married for 41 years.

Dorothy began her 38-year teaching career in Chelmsford, MA but devoted most of her years to the Reilly and Sullivan Schools in Lowell, MA. She retired in 2002 and was named Lowell Middle School Teacher of the Year by the Rotary Club. For the next two and a half years she cared for her husband until his death in 2004.

While married, they enjoyed the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, especially their cottage at Newfound Lake where they were fond of boating, yard sale-ing and outdoor festivals.

After her husband’s death she found many friends and acquaintances in an over-55 learning community at Rivier University. Being an avid reader, she helped start a book discussion group at Rodger’s Memorial Library in Hudson, NH. She took pleasure in traveling throughout the U.S. and Canada, theater and films, dinner with friends, and landscape and flowerbed design. She was a dilettante in crafts: watercolors, Zentangle, glass totems, and designing wreaths and swags with artificial flowers. Most of all, she cherished the company, laughter, and intimacy of friends and family.

Dorothy leaves one son, Jeffrey D. Lord and his wife Kathryn of Greenfield, MA, one daughter, Julianne M. Morrison, and one grandson Robert Raymond of Melrose, MA. She leaves a brother, Michael Margola and his wife Minona of Greenfield, MA. She was predeceased by her brother Edward Margola and leaves her sister-in-law Gillian of Gill, MA. She also leaves two beloved sisters who were her best friends, Kathy Fish and her husband Rene of W. Chesterfield, NH, and Joanne Gale and her husband David of Keene, NH. Also important to her were her many former students, her spiritual director William Sawyer III of Concord, MA, and the love and support of twelve aunts and uncles throughout her life.

FUNERAL NOTICE

Dorothy A. Lord: There will be a chapel service on Friday, December 12th at 1:00pm at St. Joseph Cemetery, 96 Riverneck Rd., Chelmsford, MA.  Memorials may be made in her name to the RISE Memorial Scholarship fund at Rivier University. ARRANGEMENTS BY MORSE-BAYLISS FUNERAL HOME, 122 PRINCETON BLVD., LOWELL, MA  978-458-6841. Guestbook at www.morsebaylissfuneralhome.com.