John Robert Asbell, of Tallahassee, Fla., died suddenly on February 26, 2022 while engaging in one of his greatest passions traveling with his wife. Born on March 18, 1947 in Thomasville, GA to Frankie Madena Asbell and Robert Noah Asbell, John grew up in Marianna, FL with his younger sister, Benjie Asbell. From his earliest days in elementary school, through his graduation in 1965 from Marianna High School and as a cadet at The Citadel, he formed friendships in his youth that he nurtured and cherished through his entire life. A graduate of The Citadel Class of 1969, John’s service in the U.S. Army included one year in Vietnam. He earned his law degree from Stetson in 1974 before moving to Naples, Florida, where he established a law firm that he maintained throughout an esteemed thirty-five-year career. He had fond memories of working with his law partners and associates, always proud of their accomplishments, grateful for their friendship, and appreciative of the way each gave him a new perspective even when he didn’t want to hear it. In his retirement he fulfilled many dreams, including traveling the world with his wife of twenty years; captaining his own boat on long stretches from the Bahamas, up past the Statue of Liberty and beyond; fishing adventures everywhere from the tropics to Alaska; and making regular visits to his daughter in Southern California, his stepchildren in New England, his sister and niece in Northern Florida, and his stepson in Arizona, where he got to spend time with the granddaughters who brought him much joy. Until moving to Tallahassee in 2020, he and his wife lived in the Florida Keys a dream in its own right and starting in 2012, they began spending extended periods in France. There they fell in love with a village in the Burgundy countryside, where they made a second home and created meaningful friendships that he felt opened a new window on the world for him. John found beauty in the complex: artwork from the places he lived and traveled; meals assembled using every pot and pan in the kitchen; gardens made to flourish in impossible soil; the web of minute details spun into history. He had no patience for superficiality. His approach to life was one of going deep. When he cared about something, whether a subject matter, a project, or a person, he did so with focus and passion. He had a seemingly endless curiosity and believed any question worth asking was worth answering in full detail. And as life is a question answered in its living, a good day was one spent fully engaged in one of his many interests and sharing his discoveries with those around him. Whether he was studying food, wine, boats, golf, birds, or French, he delighted in the opportunity to research, plan, and share new adventures, often to the benefit of his family and friends. Above all, he loved spending time with friends and family, sharing good food and wine, and creating new and lasting memories. He believed his relationships defined who he was, and while he was a man of many interests and achievements, there was nothing he valued as much as the people he took such care to love. He is survived by his wife, Victoria Ho, who he adored, respected, and brought bouquets of flowers on a near-weekly basis throughout their entire marriage. He is also survived by his proudest achievement, his daughter Madena Asbell, and son-in-law Charlie Rossow. He leaves his sister Benjie Asbell Bryan, niece Lisa Bryan and her husband Ryan Soule, stepdaughter Vida Engstrand, stepson and stepdaughter-in-law Ian and Shannon Engstrand, stepson and stepdaughter-in-law Carl and Caitlin Engstrand, their daughters, his grandchildren Isabelle and Amelia Engstrand, and the many friends he appreciated so deeply. In remembrance of John Asbell’s life, charitable donations may be made to The South City Foundation of Tallahassee or the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust.
Posted in: pbinfo.com
Posted on: 2022-03-30
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