GAINESVILLE, Fla. – John D. Findlay Jr., 78, passed away peacefully on Sept. 13, 2020, with his wife Sally by his side. John was born in Raleigh, NC on Nov. 10, 1941, the first of three boys, to John and Anne Findlay.He grew up in Arlington, Va. and graduated from Washington and Lee High School and The College of William and Mary. After college, John married his first wife Janet and joined the Marine Corps serving in Vietnam and reaching the rank of Captain. There he also sadly lost his beloved younger brother Bruce.John began his business career in NYC before moving the family to Maine in 1976 for a job at L.L. Bean. John became an Executive Vice President at L.L. Bean and was part of the leadership team overseeing the company’s tremendous growth in the 1980’s. He was known as a smart, fair and strategic leader who helped mentor many of the next generation of executives. After L.L. Bean, John moved on to executive positions at TJX and J. Crew. John spent his later years in St Augustine, Fla. with his wife Sally and his beloved dog Sassy. John enjoyed spending time fishing, boating and traveling, most often with his best friend Bill Henry, who he first met in grade school. He was an exceptional athlete, playing basketball and baseball in his younger years and racket sports as he got older. He had a wry sense of humor and though a man of few words, you knew where he stood. John was an incredible father to his three boys, sons David, Blake and Mike Gleason. He was generous, kind and was always there to provide counsel during life’s challenges. He never missed a game or event that involved his children. John is survived by his wife, Sally; sons, David and his partner Victoria, Blake and his wife Tiffeny and Mike Gleason and his wife Lara; brother, Pete and his wife Patty; and grandchildren, Lila, Alex, Nina, Domino, Myles and Maisie.Services will be held at a later date with details yet to be determined. In memory of John, contributions can be made to: American Kidney Fund at http://www.kidneyfund.org