| Graduation Year | Class of 1998 |
| Date of Passing | Dec 04, 2008 |
| About | The lives of so many have been forever changed with the abrupt leaving of RobynApril Rivard-Darby Maguire. There are no words to adequately describe the broken hearts left behind at her tragic death. Robyn was a bright and shining energy whose sweetness and genuine interest in others magnetically drew people to her. She was the core of many friendships and relationships, introducing people to each other who would have never have met or become friends, were it not for her. She nurtured all of those friendships, always making each person feel valued in her life. Her gregarious personality was a light that drew all in together and held us tight. Robbie’s brightest gift was always making people feel good. She was so loved! A sweet, calm, loving soul, she was often the Peace Maker, helping those she that she cared about with both emotional and physical wounds. Even those who only met her once or twice at a dance event, wedding, camping, business or any of the many walks of her life, were drawn to her and remembered her. She has made a tremendous impact on so many lives. Robbie was born in Hartford, graduated from Kennelly School, then later Ellington Middle School and Ellington High School. She currently made her home in Vernon, Connecticut with husband Tim. As an 8 year old Brownie Girl Scout, Robyn broke the record for selling the most Girl Scout cookies, door-to-door, with the help of her 7 year old Cub Scout brother, Jayson. After selling 1,154 boxes and finding out that she was not going to get to met (then) Governor O’Neil as was promised, Robyn wrote an essay entitled I DIDN’T GET TO MEET THE GOVERNOR, BUT I GOT TO KNOW MYSELF. Governor O’Neil, learning of her essay, asked to meet her. She immediately tried to sell him a box of Trefoils, telling him they were “The lowest in sugar and fat and best for his heart”! Her story was picked up first by television stations, UPI, AP and she appeared in a second page story in USA TODAY! Also at 10 years old, she and her brother met and interviewed singer/actor John Denver, who kept in touch with them until his own death. At 17 years old Robyn was the first known line dance choreographer to turn to Hip Hop music, choreographing the hit line dance DANCIN’ IN BLACK (A.K.A. DIB) to the Will Smith Song MEN IN BLACK. It began an international hit and she was invited to tour the United Kingdom, alongside of famed choreographer Jo Thompson and up and coming John Robinson, presenting it to audience of thousands. The dance was frequently used at sporting half time events, classes as far away as Ireland, England and Japan and earned her great respect in the Line Dance Community. Robyn was very well known and loved in the Line Dance World, meeting and making some of her most valued friendships on the Dance Floor. Dancing also brought her husband, Tim (TJ) Maguire into her life. They shared their love of ballroom and lead and follow partner dance, competing in Waltz, Latin, Two Step and other styles. For over 8 years they performed together annually at THE BIG E, and also entertained at venues, dance events, campgrounds, and so many, many gathering. Robbie loved dancing with her husband and choreographed several performance routines for the two of them. They also frequently instructed together. On the dance floor, whether it were Line Dance, her favorite West Coast, or any style of partner dance, Robyn shone! Always a sought after partner, when she danced one could see the joy in her heart move to her face! She also particularly loved to dance with her brother, Jayson, who was her very first dance partner. Dancing with him, as they fought over who would lead, was one of her most favorite things to do! She choreographed and instructed first dance wedding choreography through her dance business Too Wyld, a ‘child’ of DreamView Productions, a Mobile Entertainment, Dance and Wedding Business that she founded with her parents, Jim and Bettie-Jeanne. So gifted was Robyn in so many areas that when she took a 2 week temporary job at Sermatech Klock in Manchester, they encouraged her to stay for the next 8 years! Some of her deepest friendships were forged with fellow employees at Sermatech, where she also picked up her love of motorcycle riding. Her most “recent job to support her dance habit”, as Robbie always teased, was a Twin Manufacturing in South Windsor as an engineering administrator. Robbie was a member of the spiritual community of Terra Lux, an NTA accredited Dance Instructor, was slated to be sworn in as a Justice of Peace this month, and planned to take the role of secretary of the Southern New England Association of Professional Disc Jockeys in January. She loved her Wednesday Game nights with her husband and friends, her monthly Saturday night dances hosted by dear friend Sarah Preston, her dance community, her camping family, and most of all, her family. Robyn leaves to join her grandpa and grandma, whom she loved on earth with all her heart, René and Eva Rivard. Behind her, she leaves her husband of 4 years, whom she completely gave her heart to, Tim Maguire, her most beloved parents, Jim Darby and Bettie-Jeanne Rivard-Darby, her brother and sister-in-law Jayson Rivard-Darby and Becky Shaskin ~. Never a day passed without Robbie letting them know how much they meant to her ~ her adoptive sisters Gayle Clark, Brenda (and husband Michael) Cunningham and her beloved nephew Matt, whom she shared so much with, and nephews Andrew and Nathan, and beautiful niece Nora; her godmother and Aunt Janet and Uncle Ted Flanagin and her “grandma” Sugar Queen, Pat Melton. There are so many who were not family by blood but whom Robyn chose as her extended family. Among the closest are: housemate and dear friend Stefanie Romano, cooking partner and other mom, Sarah Preston, dear friends Gabe Fillion, Rain and Joey Marini, Heather Marshall, and life long friends John Wojtanowski and Trista Smith. She also leaves her half sister and brothers, Marissa, Alex, Michael and her birthfather, Lucio Mendes and uncle Skip Rivard and his family. A Celebration of Robyn’s Spirit will be held on Saturday, December 13 at the Kosciusko Club in Rockville CT from noon until 10 pm. Gatherers are asked to bring written memories and photographs to share and for the scrapbook, and may also bring pot luck to help foster the sense of community that Robyn was so central to. Details can be found on the Facebook Group People Who Love RobynApril Rivard-Darby Maguire and will be posted at legacy.com in Robbie’s guestbook. Her family invites those who wish to honor her to bring candles to be lit in her memory and to make donations to causes that were so dear to Robyn, particularly Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, a walk that she did each year with her mom, and also The American Diabetes Association and The Alzheimer’s Foundation. The family would like to ask all those who knew her, were students of her, danced with her or were just inspired and touched by Robbie to take a moment to tell a loved one, each day, what their presence means in your life. In Robyn’s memory, please reach out to someone today and share a random act of kindness. |
