Robert Charles Carrona

Robert C. Carrona

Robert Charles Carrona, loving father, husband and friend to so many, died after a two-month battle with Pancreatic Cancer, at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers on Thursday, February 25, 2016 at the age of 54.

Rob was born in Plainfield, New Jersey to John Joseph and Barbara (Garwacke) Carrona, whom both predeceased him. The family moved to Annursnac Hill in Concord, MA where Rob grew up and then graduated from Concord Carlisle High School. He met Sally (Kennedy), his wife, while working at the Concord Country Club in the summer of 1983. They have been together ever since.

Rob studied creative arts and architecture, graduating from Massachusetts College of Art with a BFA in Industrial Design. As a young man, Rob spent time in Harvard Square, Boston and London, England, studying and working in architecture and industrial design before settling down and starting a family in Harvard, MA. He built a successful consulting career over twenty-five years working as a designer in the exhibit, tradeshow and architectural fields. Rob provided expertise to residential design clients whom he enjoyed working with for many years including Carol Friedman of Design Resources, Thayne Emrich of Thayne Emirch Design, and Matt Connell of M.C. Properties, to name a few. In the last five years, Rob consulted at George P. Johnson Experience Marketing, a worldwide event and experiential marketing company, where he contributed his exceptional design expertise and creativity to many large-scale trade shows and expositions. Rob was highly regarded in the design community for his professionalism, craftsmanship and outstanding work ethic.  

Rob loved his family, a wide circle of friends, and outdoor adventures of all kinds. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends - playing games (especially cribbage), fishing, swimming, camping, canoeing, snow and skateboarding, motorcycle riding, visiting with friends and helping them with projects. Over the years he designed and constructed many unique pieces of furniture, clocks, frames and handmade gifts for the people he loved. Using his strong sense of composition and design, combined with a mischievous perspective, Rob also had a special gift for capturing the beautiful and hilarious moments in life from behind the camera.  

Weekends with Rob often included a spontaneous excursion. Sometimes he would go to Bare Hill Pond for canoeing, swimming, or fishing with his daughter Phoebe and their dog Peaches. Other adventures would take Rob, the children and Peaches to Harvard Square to wander and explore, see new places, watch street performers and eat pizza at Pinocchio’s. Rob had a wonderful sense of humor and a unique ability to meet new people and establish friendships everywhere he went. Whether he was setting out for a cup of coffee, a weekend or extended trip, everyday included meeting up with new and old friends along the way.

Rob was well known as a motorcycle sports enthusiast and would choose to drive a Ducati to work any day (over car or train). He relished the opportunity to ride his Italian motorcycles at the track with friends or along the winding, country roads of New England. Many a weekend was spent dirt bike riding off road in Vermont with his son, Matt, finding and exploring new routes to various eateries and spectacular vistas on his KTM250.

Rob’s enthusiasm for life, adventure, love of learning and his ability to share his creativity, kindness and wit will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

Rob is survived by his loving wife, with whom he spent 32 Valentine’s Days, Sally Kennedy Carrona, their beautiful children, that he was so very proud of, Matthew (15) and Phoebe (13), his brother, John D. Carrona and his wife Cynthia of Uncasville, CT, his sister, Susan Grace and her husband Michael of Peachtree City, GA, his mother-in-law, Sally Kennedy of Boston, MA, his sisters and brothers-in-law: Tracy and Gerald Corriveau of Kingston, WA, William Kennedy of Fairfield, CT, Susan Kennedy of Boston, MA, Michael Kennedy of Los Gatos, CA, Madaline and John Hale of Hamilton, MA, Helen and Matthew Lewis of Beverly, MA, as well as his nieces and nephews Jared, Jamie and Jordan Grace, Amanda and Henry Lewis, Emma and Ryan Hale, his grandnephew Luke Grace, and countless truly, wonderful friends.

Please join the family to reminisce on Thursday, March 3rd, 5:00 - 8:00pm at the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Building, 7 Elm Street, Harvard, MA. A memorial service will be held on Friday, March 4th at 11:00am at the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church, 9 Ayer Road, Harvard, MA followed by a reception at the Fellowship Building.