Lowell H Roberts

Lowell H. Roberts was born and raised in the small town of Oxford, New York, the son of two educators, Glenn and Helen. He was an excellent student, a Boy Scout, and an athlete. In the summer of 1955, at the age of 15, he crossed the Atlantic Ocean with a small group of teenage “ambassadors,” where they rode mopeds and trains across Europe. While in Scandinavia, he met Asta Gabrielsson in the small town of Borgå, Finland. The teens became pen pals and were married – twice – (a wedding on each continent) five years later. Every year, they celebrated two anniversaries for the rest of their over 60-year marriage.

Besides meeting his future wife, the trip opened Lowell’s eyes to a world far beyond his small hometown and sparked a lifelong fascination with world history and politics. He developed a deep respect for other nations and their struggles for self-governance and democracy, along with a healthy skepticism about his own country. He saw the United States as a grand experiment—one worthy of both pride and careful scrutiny—and remained deeply interested in understanding its successes, failures, and ongoing efforts to live up to its ideals. Not one to stay in a job too long, he bounced around, mostly in government services, higher education and non-profit administration.

Lowell passed these values on to his two daughters. He taught them the importance of voting, higher education, and travel, and encouraged them to look beyond the familiar and question assumptions. He modeled a belief in racial and gender equality, disability rights, tolerance, and respect for people of all stripes. For Lowell, citizenship meant both appreciating what one's country could achieve and being willing to recognize where it fell short. His favorite place to share (some might say pontificate on) these values was from his rocking chair on the porch of the family cottage on Martha’s Vineyard, preferably with a martini.

He died peacefully in Hospice House, survived by his wife Asta, sister Julie, daughters Tomi-Ann and Lisen, granddaughters Annika, Mia and Marina, and great-granddaughters Ava and Evelyn.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in Lowell's name to Martha's Vineyard Community Services: https://www.mvcommunityservices.org/donate/