John Gall Grimsley

John Gall Grimsley, 87, a devoted husband, father, and friend, passed away at home in Jacksonville on November 20, 2025. Born in Norfolk, Virginia, he moved with his family to Jacksonville in 1952 and quickly came to love the city that shaped and defined his long and consequential life. John graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in 1956, where he first met his dearest love, Dorothy Morton. They would go on to share an extraordinary 65-year marriage rooted in partnership, joy, and adventure.

John and Dorothy both attended Florida State University, where they were members of the FSU Flying High Circus. He also served as Chief Justice of the Honor Court and was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, forming lifelong friendships. After earning his bachelor's degree, John attended Duke University School of Law, receiving his LL.B. in 1963 and being admitted to The Florida Bar that same year.

John began his legal career with the Jacksonville firm of Botts, Mahoney, Whitehead, Ramsaur & Hadlow, concentrating on wills, trusts, estates, and fiduciary law. Over the next five decades, he became a central and significant figure in the probate and trust section of The Florida Bar, holding several leadership roles. His contributions to the study, development, and enactment of the Florida Probate Code of 1974 helped modernize estate law statewide, and his co-authorship of the 3rd and 4th editions of Florida Law of Trusts established it as the definitive treatise on Florida trust law, widely cited by courts, attorneys, and the Florida Attorney General.

Known for his generosity, integrity, and wise, considered counsel, John was the magnetic center around which many lives turned. His service as a trustee for several Florida-based trusts placed him at the heart of philanthropy in Jacksonville, helping direct transformative resources to education, health care, and social services across the region. A generous supporter of The United Way, The Bridge, and several other causes close to his heart, John believed deeply in strengthening the institutions that strengthen communities.

John also possessed a lifelong spirit of exploration. In the early 1970s, he joined the Florida Expeditionary Team, an informal group of adventurers united by curiosity and courage. In 1974, the team trekked through the remote jungles of Venezuela to climb Angel Falls. They returned in 1978 to scale Auyán-tepui, the massive sandstone mesa from which the falls descend. In 1984, the group summited Pico de Orizaba in Mexico, the third-highest peak in North America.

Travel remained one of John's greatest joys. He and Dorothy explored multiple countries, with France being a favorite destination. He delighted in treating his family to grand land and water adventures throughout the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Belize, and Alaska, gifting them memories and photographs that will be cherished for generations. He loved diving and fishing, and spent many sunsets in his waders along the St. Johns River, casting a line.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph W. Grimsley, Sr. and Anna G. Grimsley, and by his brothers, Ralph and Douglas. He is survived by his beloved wife Dorothy, his sister-in-law Pat Zaborsky, his children Richard (Jeanmarie) and Katherine, his nephew David, and three cherished grandchildren: Taylor, Sophia, and Nicholas.

His affectionate, adventurous, kind, and thoughtful nature shaped every life he touched. John's legacy—professionally, philanthropically, and personally—will continue to inspire those who knew and loved him.

A celebration of John's life will take place Friday, December 5th at 11 a.m. at the Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Legacy Lodge, 4801 San Jose Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32207. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the United Way, Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Florida, or a charity of your choice.

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