April Keyes Robb, of Concord, died peacefully on January 20, 2025, surrounded by family, at the age of 57 after a courageous eight-month battle with metastatic melanoma.
Born in New York City to David Robb and Jane (McKinnes) Robb, she grew up in Winnetka, Illinois, attended Bryn Mawr College, and spent her adult life in greater Boston, living in Concord for the last 17 years.
April faced her cancer in the same way she lived her life: determinedly and pragmatically. Embracing the phrase “you get what you get and you don’t get upset,” she underwent multiple hospitalizations, two brain surgeries, immunotherapy, whole-brain radiation, and physical and occupational therapy while maintaining a resilient mindset that was an inspiration to all who knew her. She did this all while caring for and planning for the future of her family and loved ones. As the end neared, she suggested future family trips, partially wrote this obituary, and planned parts of her celebration of life.
April’s greatest joys were her family and children. She volunteered at elementary school lunches, enthusiastically cheered on high school runners and skiers, sent college care packages, made her delicious pancakes and waffles for family breakfasts, and gave constant reminders about upcoming events, driving safely, and locking doors.
She shared her life with a wide circle of friends and work colleagues, championing group camping trips, joint dog walks, and dinners out and at home, including hosting an annual “Winter Banquet” for 50+ people with her husband, David. As a work colleague, she was known as someone you wanted to travel with, and for her honesty, wit, fierceness, enthusiasm, mentorship, and empathy.
April was drawn to animals, from her childhood subscription to Fancy Pigeon magazine to her horse Clark, whom she rode in show jumping competitions for 10 years, to the birds she kept fed in the backyard, and especially to her beloved standard poodles Marble and Luna. April loved the outdoors and exercise; it was arguable whether her daily dog walks in conservation land were more for the dogs or for her. She loved travel, both professional and personal, and had the chance to enjoy many trips around the globe from Europe to South America, Asia, and Africa.
April had a varied career in content creation and marketing, focusing on non-profits and early-stage tech startups. In her last professional position at the International Fund for Animal Welfare, she combined this expertise with her love of animals. April had a long history of volunteering, including advocating for abortion rights, the AIDS Action Committee hotline, teaching arts and crafts at MCI-Framingham, serving on the Concord Children’s Center board, and organizing the Thoreau School Spelling Bee.
While April was sorry to leave her family on the early side, she was thankful to have lived a privileged and lucky life in many respects.
April will be forever missed by her husband of 25 years, David Carter; her children, Audrey and Jonah Carter; her sister, Heather O’Donnell and her husband Brian of Skokie, Illinois; her mother-in-law and sister-in-law and their partners; several uncles, an aunt, and numerous cousins. She was predeceased by her parents.
Her family would like to thank her team of doctors, including Dr. Jennifer Lin, formerly of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana Farber, who oversaw a course of treatment for her early-stage melanoma that allowed her to maintain an extremely high quality of life for almost 10 years, and the team at Massachusetts General Hospital who cared for her after metastases were found in May 2024: Dr. Ryan Sullivan, and Nurse Practitioner Riley Fadden, Dr. Ariel Marciscano, Dr. Daniel Cahill, and Dr. Nancy Wang. They would also like to thank the team at Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln for caring for and ensuring April’s comfort in her final weeks.
Family and friends will gather for visiting hours from 5 to 8 pm on Friday, January 31, at the 1780 House, 15 Monument Street. A celebration of life ceremony followed by a lunch reception will be held at 12 pm on Saturday, February 1, at Nosh, 97 Lowell Road. April’s family encourages all who attend to consider casual attire. Private burial will take place at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of April can be made to:
(1) The Massachusetts General Hospital Melanoma Research Fund
a. Checks can be mailed to Massachusetts General Hospital c/o Development Office, Attn: Lauren Dello Russo, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114. Donors should make checks payable to Massachusetts General Hospital and include “Melanoma Research Fund” with April’s name on the memo line.
b. Online donations may be made at giving.massgeneral.org. Please follow these steps:
i. Go to the website giving.massgeneral.org.
ii. Click the “Give Now” button on the top right.
iii. Select the dollar amount.
iv. In the Make this gift in tribute to… section, include April’s full name.
v. Enter your payment information.
vi. In the Designate this gift to specific program section, include “Melanoma Research Fund.”
(2) Care Dimensions Hospice, 75 Sylvan Street, Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923.
Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord. To share a memory or to offer a condolence in April’s online guestbook, please visit www.DeeFuneralHome.com.