Lucille B. Rintala

Lucille B. Rintala, 85, of Upton, passed away on Thursday, January 18, 2024, at home. She was the wife of Kaarlo A. Rintala. They had most recently celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary. Together, they lived in Upton for 52 years, raising their children and tending their horse farm.

Born in Worcester, she was the daughter of the late Clayton and Sara (Buxton) Adams and was raised and educated in Boylston.

She was employed at Beaumont Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Westborough for 20 years prior to her retirement. But the job she loved most was caring for her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Lucille loved the outdoors, gardening, her flowers and her many pets.  She was a 4H leader, a lifelong horsewoman and was still riding into her 80’s.  But most of all, she loved her family and her friends who were like family.  Known affectionately as Ma, she was kind and caring and her home was always open with coffee ready in the pot.

Prior to her passing Lucille was able to have one more Thursday night dinner, a longstanding family tradition.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by three children, Kaarlo Rintala, Jr., and his wife, Cheryl, of Bellingham, Cheryl Rayner and her husband, Russ, of Worcester and Karla Barrows and her husband, Glenn, of Upton; one sister, Millie Crandall, of Boylston; five grandchildren, Christina, Sara, Stacy, Elina and Suzie and five great-grandchildren, Elizabeth, Julia, Aeva, Chase and Cody.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend calling hours on Saturday, January 27, from 2 to 4 P.M. at the Pickering & Son Upton Funeral Home, 45 Main St., Upton.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at act.alz.org