Lorraine Florence Brackett

Lorraine Florence Brackett, age 96, of Yarmouth Port, MA passed away peacefully at home on July 3, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. Lorraine was predeceased by her parents and siblings. She is survived by her husband Robert, daughter Cynthia (Lee "Chip" Davis) of Barnstable, son Robert (Doreen Brackett) of Sandwich, daughter Robin (Barry Weinstein) of Clinton, and daughter Carol (Brian Ansill) of Yarmouth.

Born on June 10, 1930 in Somerville, MA, Lorraine was the daughter of Eugene and Anna Towne. She was one of twelve siblings, and graduated from Somerville High School in 1948. Lorraine met the love of her life, Bob Brackett, at the Bal-a-Roue roller skating rink in Medford in 1950. They married in 1953, and enjoyed a long, wonderful and loving marriage that produced four children and eventually four grandchildren. She often told them stories about growing up in the Great Depression with a large, boisterous family in a small house, without a lot of money, but very happily living a simple life, playing with siblings and having many neighborhood friends.

After Lorraine and Bob married, they moved to Wakefield, MA with Bob’s mother Eva Brackett. Lorraine worked for a time as an executive secretary at Raytheon. Soon Cindy was born, followed four years later by Bobby, Robin, and Carol, each born about 16 months apart. The family of seven lived in a small house on Walton St., named after an ancestor of Eva’s. Over the years the family included dogs and cats. Lorraine had a love of animals that her kids skillfully exploited, nagging her to let them adopt a new pet until she would relent. Lorraine was a full-time homemaker and at-home parent, running the house efficiently while keeping the cupboards stocked and food in the fridge, cooking tasty meals, paying the bills, and not least keeping the house clean and orderly, while Bob worked as an engineer for Polaroid in Cambridge.

Eventually the family moved into a new, larger house that Bob and Lorraine built next door. The family often spent weekends visiting friends and relatives, or camping with Lorraine's sister Edna and her husband Donny Comeau, and their children. Bob’s hobby was taking photos and home movies which were carefully edited with sound added. Lorraine was often featured for her (over) acting skills and narration. Bob’s home movies were presented in his elaborately outfitted basement theater for viewing by an appreciative audience of family and friends.

Lorraine had a trait that was very apparent to anyone who knew her: her great strength of character. She always insisted on telling the truth and living in a forthright manner. She was fearless in standing up for what she believed was right, and would confront anyone who she believed was acting in a wrong-headed way. She would tell the offender in no uncertain terms how she felt, whether it was a stranger, an acquaintance, friend, or family member. She despised any form of racism, anything she considered unfair or crass, or unseemly treatment of a person or animal. In addition, she had many rules and best practices to live by - wisdom that she imparted with regularity to her children and later to her grandchildren. For example, Lesson 14 was to sit up straight and stop slouching; Lesson 25: stop touching your face with your hands; Lesson 6: stop wrinkling your forehead; Lesson 18: never cosign a loan; Lesson 10: always pay your credit card balance in full every month.

In the mid 1970s, the family left Wakefield and moved into a new house Bob and Lorraine had built in Sandwich on Cape Cod. This was the beginning of a new and happy time for the family, enjoying the many virtues of living on Cape Cod. Robin and Carol graduated from Sandwich High School, and eventually all four children went to college and found jobs and became successful adults with spouses or significant others. The extended family always remained close and enjoyed many wonderful weekend and holiday gatherings together, hosted in grand style by Lorraine and Bob at their beautiful Sandwich home.

Lorraine was an extraordinary grandmother to her four grandchildren, Diane, Robby, Michelle, and Tom. Her grandchildren were her greatest joy in her life; when she was around them she became animated, showering them with unconditional love, and making each of them feel special. She would often invite them to stay overnight, watching Disney movies with them while providing their favorite snacks, or playing hide and seek or card games. She took them on outings to Boston, for pony rides, to playgrounds, miniature golfing, and trips to the ice cream parlor. Lorraine began what would become a cherished family tradition: ice skating at the Boston Frog Pond followed by a delicious meal at the North End’s Pizzeria Regina.

In the early 1980s, Bob retired from Polaroid and he and Lorraine began a successful business designing and manufacturing 3D slide projectors in the basement of their Sandwich home. They enjoyed traveling to annual conventions of the National Stereoscopic Association, where they saw old friends and met new enthusiasts. Around this time, Lorraine and Bob also began spending time in southern Arizona, and eventually moved to Arizona full time in 2004, where they resided until 2021. Every year, Bob and Lorraine would buy plane tickets and host their adult children and grandkids for a vacation in Arizona. Lorraine was a wonderful tour guide, planning outings and meals to fill a busy itinerary. She was especially wonderful to her grandchildren when they visited, making sure they had a great vacation while learning about different cultures and the rich history of the region. She helped them experience the many wonders of the Southwest.

Eventually Lorraine and Bob moved back to Cape Cod, buying a condo in Heatherwood in Yarmouth Port. She lived out her last years surrounded by new Heatherwood friends, and enjoyed outings and meals with her family.

A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, September 29th at the South Congregational Church, 565 Main St., Centerville, MA, 02632 followed by a reception in the church Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests honoring Lorraine’s memory by donating to one of her favorite charities. She was a longtime supporter of Smile Train and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Also consider making a donation to Alzheimer’s Association (https://www.alz.org/).