John Vincent Adams Jr

John Vincent Adams, Jr. died of cancer at home on November 2, 2022. His daughter, Amy, was with him. He spent his last day with family and friends. John was born on July 30, 1944 in Florida, the youngest of three children. His family soon moved to Douglaston, NY on Long Island where was raised. He attended St. Anastasia Catholic school and Bayside High School. He served in the U.S. Navy rising to the rank of Aviation Machinist’s Mate “J” Third Class and received an Honorable Discharge. In 1969, he married his longtime sweetheart, Mary Bett Rippy. Mary and John welcomed their only child, Amy, in May 1970. They moved to Port Washington, NY. John’s talent for fixing things, engaging nature, and work ethic led to early positions in aeronautics at Lockheed Martin and business ownership of The Sundowner in Port Washington, NY. Later, John channeled his knowledge of Automotive mechanics into a Sales position for Crest East Coast, where he won several awards for achieving his sales goals. He married his second wife, Ruth, in 1979. In 1992, John moved to Sarasota, FL to be near his parents. He purchased a Gulf Coast Water Doctors business franchise which he ran until he sold the business upon his retirement. John’s zest for life led him on many adventures. He was an avid motorcyclist and a proud Harley owner for most of his adult life. He lived on a house boat, was “Captain John” of his own boat in Port Washington for many years and taught his daughter to fish. He traveled all over the world to Italy, Australia, and Costa Rica, as well as extensive travel across the United States. John’s love of music was legendary! He attended Woodstock in 1969. He loved attending live concerts including Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Smokey Robinson and so many more. You could not go in his car or his house without music playing and he was on top of the latest. He had an ear for local talent and supported local music artists, encouraging them and attending their shows. “Once a Rocker, Always a Rocker” headed the license plate of his car. John’s struggle with alcoholism began at an early age. He began attending Alcoholics Anonymous in Port Washington over 41 years ago and his dedication to the program truly transformed him. For the last decades of his life, John attended AA meetings everyday, often speaking and inspiring his fellow members and friends. His Sarasota persona grew with the nicknames Jedi John and Captain America and, although he could be impatient, he loved to joke, tell limericks, and impart philosophical wisdom about the beauty of simply living life. He believed fully in loyalty in friendship and being a good neighbor. He would not hesitate to help a friend in need, often fixing things for friends and family. Above all, he instilled the importance of family into his daughter. Always keeping close to his parents and his sisters and their families and being a fun uncle. John is survived by his daughter, Amy, son-in-law, Dave, and granddaughter, Isabella, his sisters Susan and Cynthia, brothers-in-law, Bill and Ken, his cousins, nieces, Laura, Jennifer, Melissa, and Nancy, nephew, Chip, nephews-in-law, Dave and John, niece-in-law, Christina, grandnephews, Hunter, Brody, Jack, Nick, Beck, Matt, David and Kenny, and grandnieces, Laney and Katie, and many many wonderful and caring friends. John was predeceased by his beloved parents, John and Ghreta Adams, of Sarasota, Florida. The outpouring of love and grief from friends and family at John”s passing is a testament to a man with a heart of gold and a spiritual soul who will now fly with the wind. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Melanoma Research Alliance by clicking the following link. https://give.curemelanoma.org/give/296895/#!/donation/checkout

John Vincent Adams Jr

July 30, 1944 - November 2, 2022