From the Conte Funeral Home:
Lucy Grace (Liucija Grazina) Statkevicius Bowen, age 95, of Andover, MA passed away peacefully on August 1, 2022, surrounded by her children. She was pre-deceased by her husband of 71 years, Richard J. Bowen.
She was born on June 20, 1927 in Siauliai, Lithuania to Mendel and Luba (nee Shapira) Rosenfeld. Lucy’s birth name was Leah, and she was lovingly called Lala.
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Lucy was a survivor of the Kaunas Ghetto during the Holocaust. In 1943, her parents arranged for her escape from the ghetto, and safely hid their cherished only child in the countryside of Vilnius, Lithuania with a brave and generous couple named Zsavera and Jurgis Zilinskas. During this time, her name was changed from Leah to Lucy to hide her true Jewish heritage. Her parents later died in the crematoriums. Lucy immigrated to the United States in 1946 with the Zilinskas family of Middlebury, CT, and proudly became an American citizen in 1952. She attended Post Junior College in 1947 and then trained as a registered nurse, graduating with honors in 1950 from St. Mary’s School of Nursing in Waterbury, CT. She was a practicing nurse until she retired in 1993 from The Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, MA.
Lucy was a member of Christ Church Andover. She was a prolific knitter, and as a member of the Prayer Shawl group she donated over 100 handmade shawls to their mission.
Lucy was a busy and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She will be forever remembered for her cinnamon toast, crisp bed linens fresh from the clothesline, beautiful award-winning cross stitch embroidered samplers, and her endless supply of warm hand knit mittens and hats.
Lucy is survived by her children Lizabeth Bowen, Leah Bowen, Rachel Rosenfeld, Maria Bowen Milliner and Bennett Milliner, Jonathan William Bowen and Karen Lee Fikri, and Kristine Bowen Lynes and Michael Lynes. She is survived by her loving grandchildren Eliza, Lucas, Ethan Richard, Andrew, Benjamin, Christopher, Michael, Kaelan, Jessica, Nicolle, Jonathan, Sarah and Matthew. Also, nineteen darling great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. She is also survived by her cousin Rita Frank and many nieces and nephews.
A wake will take place on September 10, 2022 at 10:00am until 12:00pm at Conte Funeral Home, 28 Florence Street Andover, MA (www.contefuneralhomes.com), followed by a funeral service at 2:00pm at Christ Church 33 Central Street Andover, MA (www.christchurchandover.org). These services will be held for both Richard and Lucy Bowen.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Lazarus House Ministries of Lawrence, MA www.lazarushouse.org.