Zatae T. Ross

Zatae T. Ross, 89, of Westborough, MA, formerly of Holliston, MA, passed away peacefully on January 18, 2023, surrounded by the love of her family. She was born on April 30, 1933, in Nashua, New Hampshire and raised there. She jitterbugged her way thru Nashua high school and later moved to Mississippi with her late husband, Raymond O. Ross and then to Limestone, Maine for a year at the Loring Air Force Base, eventually moving to Holliston, MA where they lived for many years while their 4 children grew up and went to school.

Zatae was a meticulous homemaker for most of her younger years, later starting a career as a district manager at Thayer Pharmacies, which eventually became CVS, where she retired after 15 years. She then moved to South Yarmouth, MA with her late sister Diane Roy, where she pursued a creative new hobby of sewing American Girl doll clothes. She embraced the many crafters and fondly sold her crafts making quite a reputation of excellence and kindness to her many devoted fans. In later years, Zatae moved to a retirement independent living facility in Westborough, MA, called “The Willows”, where she made new cherished friends and participated in most of their numerous activities with enthusiasm. She was an avid football fan. Cheering Tom Brady to victory gave her great pleasure.

Zatae‘s greatest pride and pleasure was her family including: Cynthia Sweetser and her husband, Mark; Kurt Ross and his partner, Helen Wellman; Jade Meath and her husband, Kyle; and Ryan Ross and his wife, Chris. She was also a beloved grandmother to: Eric Sweetser and his wife, Angela LeDrew; Lauren Sweetser; Kira Elbert and her husband, Dennis; Zack Meath and his wife, Michaela; Casey Ross; Jade Ross; Morgan Matteucci and her husband, Andrew; Dan Meath; and Ashley Ross. Finally, she had extra love for her great grandchildren: Kyan LeDrew, Maeve Zatae Elbert, and Eleanor Ann Meath.

Zatae’s family would like to thank the wonderful caregivers from Salmon Hospice and Private Care Options for the compassionate and supportive care they provided at the end of her journey. 

Friends are invited to join her family on February 4th for visiting hours from 11 AM to 1 PM, followed immediately by a Celebration of Life ceremony at 1 PM in the Pickering & Son Upton Funeral Home, 45 Main Street, Upton.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to Mass General Hospital's Child Life Fund in Zatae’s memory. You can do so by going to https://because.massgeneral.org/ZataeLovesKids.