Lois S. Root, RN, 86, of Carlisle, passed peacefully on May 5, 2021, with family by her side. Lois was born in Brockton on August 26, 1934, the first of six children of Fred and Emily (Perkins) Stetson. Her childhood was filled with happy family adventures and the companionship of many cousins, including gatherings at her grandparents' cottage "For All of Us." Lois valued memories of helping her father and maternal grandparents in their large summer gardens as well as visiting on her uncle's farm. Her maternal relatives were quick to play a tune and Lois joined this musical tradition by taking up the cello and singing in the church choir. In high school, a church leadership program lead her to Camp Becket, where she met Berkshire native Frank Root, whom she later married in 1956. Inspired by her Aunt Inez, Lois enrolled in the nursing program at Simmons College, which she loved. She sang in the Simmons Glee Club, which included concert tours to the Bahamas and the Azores, sparking a lifelong zeal for travel. Lois finished her five-year degree in 1957 and celebrated graduation by giving birth to her first child, Karen, and joining husband Frank on a two-year army tour in Heidelberg, Germany, where their second child, Frank, Jr. (Buddy), was born. Returning to the U.S., the young family settled in Frank's hometown of Pittsfield, MA. Lois put her nursing skills into action at Berkshire Medical Center, first as a floor nurse and later as a nursing instructor at BMC and at Berkshire Community College. Their third child, Allison, was born in 1967, to the delight of her siblings. At home, Lois focused her educational prowess on teaching all of her children the wonders of baking, the joy of reading, and the fine art of being a good human being. Karen remembers singing civil rights songs with her mom, Budd recalls the secret thrill of watching late-night "Monster Madness" with her, and Allison is grateful for the love of history they shared on trips to Sturbridge Village, Plymouth Plantation, and Colonial Williamsburg. As her children grew more independent, Lois became active advocating for women and children through the Berkshire County Chapter of NOW and the WIC program. In the late 1980s, Lois and Frank separated but he retained very fond memories of her until his death in 2017. Lois moved to her beloved bungalow and garden in the Wollaston neighborhood of Quincy, worked at the medical unit of the main Boston Post Office, and savored the vibrancy of Boston along with the many cultural traditions in Quincy. Lois continued to work on women's issues, was active in Wollaston Congregational Church, and took every chance to visit with her sister, brothers, and extended family. She will be remembered for her enduring kindness, her political wit, her positive attitude, and her deep love of family. Lois is celebrated and deeply missed by her children, Karen and Ian Watkins of Acton, with daughter Gwen (MI); Bud and Leslie Root of Charlotte, NC, with son Shawn (FL) and daughter Sara (NC); and Allison and Brad Bowlin of O'Fallon, IL, with their kids Rachel and husband Luke (UK), Emily (MO), Rebecca (IL), and Jack (USAF, South Korea). Lois is survived by her brothers, Fred Thomas (Tom), Charlie, and Bob, along with many wonderful nieces and nephews. Her brother Jack and sister Ruth predeceased her. A service of remembrance will be held in late July. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Lois's name may be made to the Frances Perkins Center, Newcastle, Maine , or the Arnold Arboretum, Boston, MA . Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord.