Linda (Rawnsley) Machado

Beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and auntie;
 
Linda (Rawnsley) Machado, 80, of Lowell, Massachusetts, passed away on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at Lowell General Hospital surrounded by her loving family.
 
Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, May 4, 1945, the daughter of the late Ernest and the late Lillian (Bilodeau) Rawnsley, she attended Lowell schools and graduated from Lowell High School in the class of 1964.
 
After high school, Linda earned a teaching certificate in Early Childhood Education from Wheelock College.
 
Linda was the owner and operator of Kids World Education in Dracut. For over 40 years, Linda was a popular bartender at the Bunting Club in Lowell.  Spending 40 years behind the bar, at the Bunting Club, added yet another vibrant layer to Linda’s story. Many patrons will remember her as funny, kind, and always ready to lend a helping hand. Others might smile remembering that she could also be a force to be reckoned with—quick-witted, a little fresh at times, and never one to hold back. That spark was simply part of what made her so unforgettable.
 
An active member of St. Patrick’s Church in Lowell, Linda worked bingo for many years while her children attended school there. She enjoyed running and an occasional Miller Lite with her family and friends. However, her favorite thing to do was spend time with her grandchildren.
 
She is survived by three daughters, Daryl Bastien and her husband Mark, Lisa Figueira and her husband John, and Rebecca Ly and her partner Brian Martin, all of Lowell, MA; a son, Joseph E. Machado, Jr., and his wife Jennifer of Lowell, MA; nine grandchildren, Matthew Bastien and his wife Katelyn of Chelmsford, MA, Jonathan Bastien and his partner Rosanna “Happy” Xaysongkham, Katherine and Shane Cremin, Mia and Seth Ly, and Olivia, Ava, and Madelyn Machado, all of Lowell, MA; five great grandchildren, Caleb, Braxton, Zoey, Penelope and Eleanor Bastien; three sisters, Janice Fancy of Billerica, MA, Melina Nadeau of Rochester, NH, and Daryl Campbell and her husband Jack of Lowell, MA; two brothers, David Rawnsley and his wife Marti of Oxnard, CA, and James Rawnsley and his wife Dottie of Edgewater, FL, and her in-laws Nita Rawnsley, Betty Ann Rawnsley, and Tom and Judy Machado; and her former husband, Joseph E. Machado, Sr., of Lowell, MA.
 
Linda happily took on the role of Auntie to her many nieces and nephews, a title she enjoyed as much as “Mom” and “Grammy”. Her nieces and nephews were all a joy to her as she was to all of them! They all adored her!
 
Two nieces held an especially close place in her heart, Karen Boucher and Elizabeth McKiel. Auntie Linda stood beside them throughout their lives, loving and guiding them as if they were her own. She was always there—steady, loving, and unwavering in her support—offering advice, comfort, and plenty of laughter along the way.

She was the sister of the late Phyllis Archambault, Richard Rawnsley, Bruce Rawnsley, Frank Rawnsley, and Gary Rawnsley. 
 
Relatives and friends may call for her Memorial Visitation on Friday, February 20, 2026, at the O'DONNELL FUNERAL HOME 276 PAWTUCKET ST. in LOWELL from 9:30 to 11:15 A.M. followed by her Funeral Service to be held in the funeral home at 11:30 A.M. E-condolences/directions at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com. Those wishing may make contributions in her memory to St. Patrick School at saintpatricklowell.org/donations. Arrangements by Funeral Director James F. O'Donnell, Jr. (978) 458-8768.

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