John Joseph Roll
March 6, 1948 – August 13, 2025
John was a gentleman and a Gentle Man – a quiet man who ran deep:
– An avid reader
– A life long learner
– An outdoors person who loved to hike & camp
He was always ready to try new things:
– He learned to play the bagpipes and could play 50 tunes
– He learned to blow glass at a Road Scholar workshop at Corning Glassworks
– He mentored his grandson Thomas’ FIRST Lego League team for 4 years in Maine –
where the boys built robots and competed in competitions
– John traveled with his granddaughter Katie to Iceland, Scotland, England, France, and
Prince Edward Island, Canada
John was always open for a new adventure– traveling to Europe– to places like the Outer
Hebrides in Scotland– and Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland, Canada where he hiked with his wife Susan. John embraced life. He loved to listen to music. He and Susan had season tickets for the Boston Symphony and sat in the same seats for 30+ years. They often traveled to Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony to listen to music under the stars.
For the last 32 years in July you could find John and his wife at the Appalachian Mountain
Club’s Echo Lake Camp in Acadia National Park, Maine – a touchstone of their lives where
they’d hike, swim, take a boat ride out to the islands and enjoy the fellowship of their old and
new camp family.
John was an active member of the First Congregational Church of Holliston where he was a
member for the last 33 years – a former deacon. He loved his church family as they loved him.
John is survived by his wife Susan Goddard Roll, stepdaughter Ann Charlton, her husband
Scott and their children Katie & Thomas. Daughter Rebecca Bouvier and her children Cara,
Brenden, & Alexander and great-grandchildren. His son Eric Donovan and his children Ginger & Nicodemus. His daughter Rachel Boat and her children Cara, A.J., Grayson, & Ronan. He is
also survived by many cousins.
In lieu of flowers please contribute to the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center at
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute by donating to Dr. Jacob Laubach’s Giving Page.
To contribute by check, please write “Dr. Laubach’s Giving Page” in the memo line, and send to: Giving Pages, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Division of Development & The Jimmy Fund
10 Brookline Place West 5th Floor Brookline, MA 02445
If you would like to contribute online, you may do so at the link below. If you would like, you may put “Your Name In Memory of John Roll” in the Display Name and Information section of the webpage. https://danafarber.jimmyfund.org/site/Donation2?idb=123703729&df_id=2248&FR_ID=1200&mfc_pref=T&PROXY_ID=6984&PROXY_TYPE=22&2248.donation=form1
Or to the music program at the First Congregational Church of Holliston 725 Washington Street Holliston, MA 01746
A Celebration of John’s Life Service will be held: Saturday August 23rd at 10:00 a.m. at First Congregational Church of Holliston 725 Washington St. Holliston.
A luncheon will follow the service in Jordan Hall at the church. Arrangements are under the care of the Chesmore FuneralHome of Holliston www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com