John Lory

LORY, JOHN, Loving family man, successful entrepreneur, car collector, nature lover, world traveler, exercise/swimming enthusiast, and gung-ho Seminoles and Badgers fan - passed away January 3rd at age 72. Anyone who knew John knew he was one of those rare, colorful characters who came into your life with an unforgettable presence. Two words often associated with John were "crazy" and "cool." John had an intense zest for life and an unwavering spirit for fun. John grew up in Wisconsin where he met his first wife of 26 years, Mary Anne Lory, at the University of Wisconsin. Having had enough of the snow and cold, John moved his family to Florida in the mid-'60s. He settled into a home on John's Lake near Winter Garden where he loved to go boating, sailing, and teaching his three kids to water ski. Possessed with a relentlessly creative, enterprising mind, John, at age 34, quit his job and took the biggest risk of his life. In 1969 he started Magnetix Corporation in Winter Garden with the help of local citrus magnate Mr. Frank
Roper. Magnetix, an audio recording duplication business, flourished for decades and employed scores of local workers. John eventually sold the business but never quite retired. The image of a typical retiree was abhorrent to him and so he began to delve into other projects. Over the past decade he focused his business-driven mind on creating little speared alligators that he sold in Tallahassee stores, and operating a small powder-coat painting business. Outside of his entrepreneurial pursuits, one of John's interests was collecting and restoring vintage automobiles. It all began when he was on a business road trip and he saw a man trailering a restored 1914 Chevrolet Baby Grand. John got to talking with the man about the car, bought it on the spot, and towed it home, telling his surprised wife, "Look what followed me home!" For several years he would enjoy driving it in local parades, startling onlookers with its loud "ah-OOgah!" horn. John began restoring cars himself and his first project was a 1920s era American La France fire truck. In parades his Dalmatian dog "Smokey" proudly rode shotgun. John later donated the fire engine to its original fire house in Vermont. His latest restoration was also his grandest. His 1932 Stutz took First Place and nearly achieved a perfect score at its first and only car show. Practical jokes were also part of John Lory's life. He once erected a large sign on a vacant lot he owned next to Magnetix announcing the imminent construction of an eight story office building. This billboard caused quite a stir throughout sleepy Winter Garden until he revealed an "April Fool's" banner across it a week later. But it was his fervent devotion to the FSU Seminoles football team which probably most defined the man. Always attired in Seminole garb and driving a paraphernalia-laden (including a huge speared gator hanging from a noose from the trunk) garnet and gold car, John was the epitome of a die hard 'Noles fan. He converted an old warehouse along the West Orange Trail into a shrine showcasing his indomitable Seminole spirit. Two huge spears made from telephone poles hold a marquee on which he displayed a weekly poem forecasting a Seminole victory over whomever the 'Noles were playing. On the roof of the building is the Seminole logo copied directly from the template used for the FSU football field. Next to the logo are gigantic effigies of a Gator and Miami's Sebastian the Ibis, complete with feathered spears in their backs. John's obsession for FSU (and against their rivals) was all in good fun. Every year he would make his famous $2 bill bets with about a dozen UF and Miami friends on the big games. His losing payouts were always creative but he was always happier to receive than to give. He would proudly display the equally creative $2 bills he won during better football seasons. Although John never played football himself, he was active in sports. He was a rigorous swimmer who enjoyed snorkeling and catching lobsters. Once he even caught a shark with his bare hands and kept it for years in a large aquarium he had built. John was also a good skier on both water and snow. John was a world traveler who found that the best place on earth was at his home on Lake Down in Windermere. From here he would explore the lakes on his wave runner or pontoon boat. He was terrific when it came to grilling steaks and salmon for family and friends on the back porch, while sharing a bottle(s) of wine or exotic imported beers. He built his western-facing house so he could enjoy the daily beauty of Central Florida's incredible sunsets. He also enjoyed quietly watching the otters and herons except when they would try to make a quick snack of the fish in his koi pond. John was adamant about maintaining his physical shape. He went to the gym on a daily basis and, when commenting on his 30 minute swims, would privately boast about lapping the younger guys. Ironically it was at a health club that John succumbed to Fate. He apparently overexposed himself to the whirlpool's hot water, became hyperthermic and passed out. He slipped into a coma and never recovered. "I'm gonna live to be a hundred," was a frequent refrain John liked to use. And, perhaps he was right, especially when you consider that he probably squeezed 100 years of living into 72 years of life. John Lory is survived by his two ex-wives Mary Lory and Tamera Lory, his three children Linda, Bobby and Jim, his sister Molly
Cornell his dogs Chester and Sheba, cat Kitty, and numerous fish. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the John Lory Memorial Fund, c/o Seminole Boosters, P.O. Box 1353, Tallahassee, FL 32306, or the Humane Society. "Throughout his 72 years, A true Garnet and Gold story. There's a new 'Nole in Heaven, Rest in Peace Mr. Lory." (submitted on an FSU message board)