Formerly of Bradford - Mrs. Lillian Ruth (Jackman) Rand, widow of Rev. Joseph A. Rand, passed away on March 5, 2026, at the age of 97.

She was born in Haverhill, MA, on November 4,1928, the first of four daughters born to Hugh and Margaret (Cummings) Jackman.

Lillian was raised in Bradford, Massachusetts and graduated from Haverhill High School in 1946. Upon graduation, she attended the – then Fisher Secretarial School in Boston, Massachusetts , and graduated in 1948. She immediately became employed at Fisher in the admissions office. It was at that time that she met her future husband, Joseph A. Rand, at a Methodist Youth Fellowship event, while he was home on leave from the service. They married in 1950 and lived on Beacon Hill in Boston, where they had their first child, David, in 1951. Thereafter, they returned to Haverhill, where they had their next children, Helen E., George A, And Margaret L.

In the mid 1960's they moved their family to Groveland, MA, renovating a home built in 1723. The family lived there into the late 1970's, all of their children attending Pentucket Regional High School. It was in 1964 that her life changed dramatically, as her husband was converted to Christ by the evangelist Eleanor Searle Whitney. Lillian took on the challenge of raising her young family as her husband returned to school. She did book- keeping for local businesses and became the office manager for a medical practice, and got her children through college, debt free. Their Groveland home was the site of countless cookouts and gatherings with her parents, sisters, and nieces and nephews. And a haven for her kid's friends

In the late 1970's when her husband became a full-time Methodist minister, Lill (as she was known to all) became a minister's wife in the full sense. Helping him manage finances, cooking at church suppers, being the alto in the choir and subbing as the pianist/organist when required. With their children grown, they went on to serve churches in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, the island of Barbados, and Martin County, Florida . And they travelled the country and the world, congregating with their church friends – culminating with a trip to Egypt and the holy land, where Lill rode on the back of a camel. Not bad for a little girl from Haverhill.

In their retirement years she and her husband divided time between their homes in Seabrook Beach, New Hampshire and Jensen Beach, Florida. But they were never still – always entertaining relatives, friends and grandchildren, and making new friends wherever they went. They also took many ocean cruises as the ship's chaplain-couple and made countless friends. And as always, she cooked, baked, cleaned and dusted. She baked her last Yorkshire Pudding in Jensen Beach in 2018, And with her touch, it rose.

She was always most proud of her husband and family, but she was an accomplished girl and woman. As a teen she was a "Rainbow" girl, becoming a Worthy Advisor of Haverhill Assembly #39, and later a Mother Advisor and received the Grand Cross of Color in 1970. And she was a proud member of the Order of Eastern Star. And upon graduation from Fisher, she received perfect A''s for typing – 60 words per minute on a Royal manual typewriter, no errors, which she used well into the personal computer age.

She is survived her daughter, Helen E. McGrath ( and her husband, Thomas), her son, George A. Rand, Esq ( and his wife, Mary Ann), and her daughter, Margaret L. Esposito, and grand-children - Joseph Rand, Sarah Nilsen ,Katherine McGrath, Jennifer Lynch , Suzanne Esposito - brother in law, David Rand, and multiple nieces and nephews, grand-children and great grand-children. She is predeceased by her parents, Hugh and Margaret Jackman, her husband, Joseph A. Rand, her sisters, Helen, Virginia and Margaret (and their spouses), her son, David J. Rand, sister in law, Rita Conroy, and son-in-law, Richard Esposito.

The family thanks her caretakers at Colliers Assisted Living in Port St Lucie, FL and Treasure Coast Hospice. Any remembrance can go to the charity of your choosing.

Graveside services will be held on Thursday, July 23 at 11 a.m. in Riverview Cemetery, Groveland, MA.

To share a memory or for more information please visit www.farmerfuneralhomes.com