April McDermid

April McDermid sadly passed on August 15, 2025. April was born to the late Donald Miles and Anna Jeanne McDermid on April 12, 1961. April McDermid began her journey through life in Lanham, Maryland with her loving parents and sister, Pamela Hartman. April remained in the Lanham area her entire life, deeply rooted in the community she called home.

She attended Seabrook Elementary, Thomas Johnson Middle School, and DuVal High School — the very same schools her two sons would later attend. Her childhood was filled with joyful family vacations to Chesapeake Beach and Ocean City, MD and Myrtle Beach, SC where she discovered a lifelong love of the beach.

In her youth and early adulthood, April was social, goofy, fun-loving, and deeply passionate about music. Her collection of concert ticket stubs would make anyone jealous. She loved to travel, enjoying cruises and trips to places like Tennessee, Las Vegas, Cancun, and many other exciting destinations with her friends.

As she stepped into adulthood, April built a meaningful career at Associates in Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose, and Throat), where she worked as an office manager. There she supported patients facing difficult times, a role that came naturally to someone so nurturing and compassionate. Her job also came in handy while raising two curious boys who were no strangers to sticking things in their ears.

April was a loving and selfless woman who always put the needs of others before her own. Her two greatest accomplishments were her sons, Donald William Martin and Dustin Miles Martin. She raised them through the ups and downs of childhood: diaper rashes, earaches, sibling fights, broken bones, lost teeth, and more than a few school visits — often for one son while the other was already in trouble coming down the hallway.

She witnessed them grow into strong men, celebrating their graduations, proms, first jobs, and milestones like moving out of state, falling in love, and getting married. She welcomed a daughter-in-law, Keyona McLaughlin, with pride and love. April often wished she could have given her sons more, but she gave them the most important thing: a strong foundation and unwavering love. She raised two good men.

Like many of us, April faced her share of challenges. One of the most difficult was her battle with addiction — a lifelong journey that she courageously fought one day at a time for 19 years. Through this, she met many people who helped guide her on the path to recovery.

In 2016, April was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer. In 2019, she suffered her first stroke, marking the beginning of a long and difficult medical journey. Despite everything, she never gave up. Her stubbornness became a source of strength as she pushed through rehab, physical therapy, surgeries, and ongoing health battles with resilience and determination.

On August 15, 2025, April’s long fight came to an end, and she found peace. Though she is no longer with us, her legacy lives on through her loving family: her oldest son, Donald Martin, and his wife, Keyona McLaughlin; her youngest son, Dustin Martin; her sister, Pamela Hartman, and her husband, Joseph Hartman, their children, Matthew Hartman and Jennifer Henry and her husband Chris Henry and their children, Teagan, Declynn, and Annika. Her memory also lives on in the countless lives she touched throughout her journey.

April is now reunited with her beloved parents, watching over us with love. She will always be remembered for her laughter, her strength, her kindness, and her fierce love for her family.