On December 27, 2024 after bravely battling pancreatic cancer for nearly four years, John Russell Roberts, of Carlisle, MA, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 25, 1951, the first of six children, to Barbara Keltz Roberts of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Richard James Roberts of South Bend, Indiana.

Throughout his life, family remained a constant force for John. Being a father and becoming a grandfather were his greatest joys. His love of family, positive outlook, passion for traveling, and giving back to others are the legacy that he leaves to his wife, Mary, his children, Greg and Margot, and his grandchildren, Finley, Wheeler, Boden, and Callan.

John's travels took him to 55 countries, all 7 continents, and to all 50 states before he turned 50. Several of his favorite adventures included summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa at 20,000 ft., scuba diving in the Great Blue Hole off the coast of Belize, hiking the Matterhorn in Switzerland, Inca Trail in Peru, and the Milford Track in New Zealand. In January 2023, two years after being diagnosed with cancer, John sailed on an expedition cruise ship across the Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula, completing his bucket list goal of visiting all 7 continents.

Everywhere he went, John's charisma pulled fellow travelers, staff, and locals into his orbit. In true fashion, shortly after the start of his Antarctica cruise, John knew almost every one of the 125 passengers - they later joked he should have been made the honorary cruise director. Always challenging himself, once they arrived in Antarctica, he jumped into the 32 degree water with several of the new friends.

John's wanderlust began in college during a month in London and semester abroad in Freiburg, Germany. From Freiburg, John traveled to East Germany, Italy, and Greece. In those college years, John's affable personality and interest in others made him many close friends, both at Denison University and abroad. The friendships endured as active lifelong connections, with his good humor and sense of fun always intact.

John's loyalty, love for family, friends, and adventure led to five decades of traditions with loved ones. Two of his favorites being the Corn Bowl and the Walk Manhattan. The Corn Bowl began as a touch football game in an Ohio cornfield with Denison friends, and became an annual and beloved event for the friends and their families.

The Walk Manhattan began in 1976, when John's brother Tom walked 17 miles from the top of Manhattan to Battery Park. John joined a few years later and walked 45+ years in a row, an annual tradition the brothers shared along with two dozen friends. John's resilience was on display at the 49th Annual Walk Manhattan in 2024. Despite three years of chemotherapy treatments and neuropathy in his feet, he valiantly finished the day-long trek with a huge smile on his face.

John's professional career began in Washington, D.C. managing economic data forecasts at Data Resources (DRI) McGraw Hill. In 1994, John joined Wellington Management in Boston where he worked in the investments group as a Vice President and Associate Partner. John's Global Opportunities product performed above benchmark for over five years and in 2008, John's asset allocation portfolio performed in the top 1% at Wellington. From 2010-2024 John worked as Managing Director at Axiom Valuation.

Always committed to giving back, John's interest in global communities and philanthropy merged when he served as the Board Chair of the Clover Foundation, a non-profit operating a pre-school and supporting over 600 students in Busega, Kampala, Uganda.

He is survived by his wife Mary, two children Greg and Margot, two brothers, Tom and Paul, three sisters, Beth, Sue, and Jenny.

Family and friends will gather to celebrate John's life during visiting hours in the Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, Concord Center on Tuesday, January 21st from 1 to 3 pm.

In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in memory of John Roberts to support cancer research and patient care at:

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

P.O. Box 849168

Boston, MA 02284

or via dana-farber.org/gift .

Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord.