Robin Ann Walther

Robin Ann Walther, daughter of Joan and the late Dr. Raymond Walther, passed away on Thursday, July 14, 2022 at Mt. Auburn Hospital.

Robin was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts on July 31, 1962. As a child, she spent much of her time at the Skating Club of Boston skating with her two younger sisters, Amy and Sarah. They all competed in regional competitions and the whole family performed for years in the annual show, “Ice Chips”. Amy and Sarah would often tag along with Robin on many adventures outside of the skating rink, although, as the older sister, she was “too cool” to hang out with her younger siblings.

Growing up, Robin was fond of sailing with her grandfather on his boat, Mabb III, out of Marblehead Harbor in Massachusetts. She learned quickly and became a capable first mate.  At age 16, she helped her grandfather, “Bumpa,” navigate through a harrowing storm off the coast of Maine. She would carry this love of sailing and the ocean with her on her later trips to Jamaica.

For high school Robin found her home at Cambridge School of Weston. There, as a student athlete, she developed her skills for mentoring and leadership and was honored, her senior year, to be chosen by her peers as captain for both the varsity soccer and lacrosse teams. 

Robin always had a talent for photography; after high school she attended the New England school of Photography in Boston before moving to New York City to pursue a further degree at the Fashion Institute of Technology.  Robin stayed in New York for the next several years working for several major commercial photographers. 

Robin always had a passion for music and grew up listening to all genres.  While living in NYC, she enjoyed the eclectic music scene, made friends with members of punk bands and became ingrained in the music culture.  In the mid-80’s, she found her way into the world of Reggae music, a genre that came to influence the rest of her life.  This all started by chance, on a trip to Jamaica with her lifelong best friend, Lisa Sherman Barnes.  They landed in Jamaica ready for a vacation, only to find out the hotel they booked in Ocho Rios did not exist.  Luckily, they were able to find a room for rent in a nearby neighborhood.  Robin and Lisa soon found themselves drawn to the music coming from a dancehall behind the house, called “Jack Ruby’s Lawn”.  They ended up spending the entire week getting to know the owner, a local music producer, who introduced them to local Reggae artists.  This began their lifelong appreciation of Reggae music and culture and mission to bring Reggae home to the States.

For the next several years Robin and Lisa returned to Jamaica every summer.  They stayed in small hotels, away from the tourist areas, and became further ingrained in the local culture and music scene and built many great friendships.  

Their love of Reggae led them to become ambassadors working to bring Jamaican music to the U.S. In this pre-digital era, as part of each trip, they hauled the heavy vinyl records through customs back to Boston and the vibrant college radio airwaves.

In the late 80’s, between trips to Jamaica, Robin moved back to Boston. In 1989, she and Lisa took over the radio show, “Raggamuffin International”on Boston College radio, WZBC, Saturdays. They became known to listeners as the “Dynamic Duo”.

They made further contributions to Reggae music by writing entertainment columns for the Jamaican newspapers, X-News and The Star, as well as their own local bi-monthly publication, The Caribbean Courier. They also co-hosted a cable show “Reggae Music Scenes”, taped in Jamaica.

During her radio career, Robin took her skills to the next level by completing studies at Northeastern Broadcasting School in Boston. Robin loved to share her craft and mentored many college students and interns over her three plus decades in broadcasting, teaching them how to use the sound board, to speak on the mike, and to coordinate and put a show together.

In the 90’s, Robin and Lisa became regular DJ /Selectors for the popular Boston sound system, Volcano Hi-Power, making appearances at many clubs in the area. As local celebs, they would MC shows in Massachusetts and Connecticut. In 2001 Lisa moved to Florida, but Robin kept the radio show going for the next 21 years up until now, with listeners from all over the world.  Her personal mission was to expose people to the music of Jamaica and to give Jamaicans living in the U.S. a little slice of home.  Based on the many supportive messages from her many friends and fans, she accomplished this mission. Robin also used her platform to share positive messages and encourage people to respect one another.

Aside from her passion for music, Robin always had a knack for crafting; she painted furniture, made jewelry, and created beautiful Christmas ornaments. Her love for crafting resulted in beautiful and personalized gifts. She would often stay up for hours to make the perfect final product for those she loved.

Many of those gifts went to her nieces and nephews, of whom she was very fond. Robin attended their music concerts and sports events, always being the loudest one in the stands. She would often call and share her bits of “Auntie” advice, expressing how proud she was.

Robin always stayed true to her beliefs and remained politically active throughout her life. She supported initiatives on gun safety, and women’s rights, expressing her anti-war sentiments, and protecting the environment.

She was also an avid sports fan and enjoyed everything from football to synchronized swimming. She adored her Boston teams, especially the Patriots and Red Sox. Robin was the go-to for the latest Olympic stats and would text friends and family when their favorite events were on. This goes to show Robin’s true spirit, always thinking of others in her life.

Robin is survived by her mother, Joan Walther, her sister, Sarah Keeley, Sarah’s husband Bob, and their sons Jonathan and Andrew of Hopkinton, MA.  and her sister Amy LaMarche, Amy’s husband Stephen and children Matthew, Renee and Olivia of Lynnfield, MA

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