The City of Lynn came together to pay tribute to one of its most beloved residents, Janet Rowe, who passed away on May 17, 2026, following a brief and courageous battle with cancer.
Mrs. Rowe’s daughter, Kay Rowe delivered a beautiful eulogy at the funeral Mass on May 23 at Sacred Heart Church.
“She always said, practice what you preach, have patience with all things in life, if it’s meant to be it will be. Just give things and people time. Tomorrow is a new day, start fresh,” Kay told the large assemblage at the church.
“And everything can be fixed with Plan B,” said Kay. “That was one of her favorites. You come to her for advice, and she’d say, ‘Plan B, we’ll figure it out, we’ll make it work. No matter what, things will work out.’”
“She was a true Lynner, born and raised,” said Kay. “She was committed to this community in every possible way. But the thing she was dedicated to the most was her family. She went above and beyond to ease our pain, give us the best experiences, teach us right from wrong, and that family always comes first.”
Kay Rowe said her mother truly lived by the golden rule, “Treat everyone the way she wanted to be treated.”
“I’m thankful these past days that not only did we mourn the loss of Mom, we celebrated her in the most beautiful way, and she deserved that,” concluded Kay, calling the tribute, “a celebration of life for the most beautiful, kind, funny, caring woman that we all know. I love you, Mom.”
Mayor Jared Nicholson, City Council President Coco Alinsug, and former Lynn Mayor Tom McGee were among the many dignitaries in attendance at the church. Many members of the Lynn Knights of Columbus also attended the mass. West Lynn State Rep. Sean Reid joined other members of the Lynn delegation in honoring Mrs. Rowe with his presence at her memorial observance at Solimine Funeral Home.
“Just one conversation with Janet and you feel her warmth, humor, and kindness,” said Rep. Reid. “In Lynn’s long history, few people have given as much time, energy, commitment and passion to our community as her.”