Holland: Lois (Howlett) Artruc, 95, passed away peacefully on May 3rd, 2026 at home with her family by her side.

She was predeceased by her husband of 70 years, Edward P. Artruc, and her parents, Leonard F. Howlett and Grace Palmer Howlett. She leaves her sister, Dona L. Corsini of Union CT: two daughters - Scarlet B. Artruc and her husband Dr. Daniel Doody of Lynnfield, MA and Susan L. Marcucci and her husband John of Holland; her three sons - Rock E. Artruc and his fiancé Candace Watts of Holland, John S. Artruc and his partner Linda Walsh of Union, CT, and Paul L. Artruc and his wife Linda of Livonia, NY; her 12 grandchildren - Nathan Marcucci and his wife Alyssa, Stephen Marcucci and his wife Jessica, Sara Phaneuf and her husband Cliff, Adina Laprade and her husband Thomas, Erin Carson and her husband David, Colin Doody and his wife Maggie, Shaylyn Doody and her fiancé David Klaus, Evan Doody and his partner Ashley Glover, Jennifer Pallanck and her husband Adam, Emily Artruc and her husband Mathew Walls, Timothy Artruc and his partner Martina Monthei, Tessa Artruc and her wife Meghan King; and 22 great grandchildren.

Lois was born on September 12, 1930, in Holland, MA, the eleventh generation of Howletts in New England.  Thomas Howlett fled England in 1630, just ten years after the Mayflower landed in Plymouth.  He was part of the Puritans on the Winthrop Fleet that sought religious freedom in America and settled in the Boston area.  He helped found the settlements of Ipswich and Topsfield.  Years later, some of the family would settle in Holland, MA, among the first families in the town's history.  In 1903, her grandfather purchased a small farm in the southwest part of town, and it has been in the family ever since.  Lois was the third of what is now six generations on the property, and she would spend her entire life there.  She learned the value of hard work from a very early age, helping with the animals and various chores around the farm.  It was a small dairy farm that also raised chickens and bred Chow dogs.  Work was difficult, done by hand, using horses and oxen to tend to the fields in her early years. She graduated from Mary Wells High School in Southbridge, MA, in 1948. She immediately began working at the Publick House in Sturbridge, MA, in various positions, all the while caring for her mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer and would succumb to the disease two years later at the age of 39.  She continued to help her father and younger sister as they struggled with the loss, but needed to carry on the work of the farm.  In a few short years, she would meet the man she would spend the next 70 years with, marrying Edward Artruc in 1954. They built their own home on the property.  It is there that they raised five children, eventually taking over the farm after the loss of her father in 1961.  She helped Ed manage his building contracting business and drove a school bus for the Tantasqua Regional School District, all while raising a family and tending to the farm.  It was during this time that she began her passion for art, taking classes in painting and sharing her artwork with her family.  After her children were grown, she began a career at Monson Developmental Center, caring for clients with various disabilities.  She quickly excelled at the center, becoming a specialized home care provider for two clients - welcoming them into her home, where they thrived in their new home environment.  She spent her entire life caring for others and was an inspiration to so many.  Her love of family, traditions, history,  animals, and a small farm in a small town has been embedded in those who follow in her footsteps.  There are now multiple family members living on the original farm property, and all her descendants have a deep connection to the family history and farmland.

While her health declined in her last few years, she still managed to contribute to the farm, tending to chores at the barn and weed-whacking brush on the property, one of her favorite pastimes.  These tasks brought joy and purpose to her life and she loved to contribute in any way she was able.The family gives special thanks to the loving care of her daughter, Susan, and her husband, John, who sacrificed so much to allow her to enjoy her remaining time at home with family, as well as her grandson Nathan and his wife Alyssa, for enabling her to live her final years on the property she so loved and cherished.

A celebration of life will be held at Holland Community Center on May 16th, 2026 at 1:00p and all are welcome.

A private burial will be held at the convenience of the family.

In place of flowers, donations may be made to Holland Community Center at 40 Brimfield Rd Holland MA 01521 or online at Holland Community Center