WESTERLY — John Harrison Trowbridge, Jr., 77, passed away peacefully at his home in Westerly on the morning of January 28, 2026, with his wife and children by his side.
Born October 29, 1948, in Huntington, Long Island, he was the son of John Harrison and Frances Cole Waram. After moving with his family to Stonington, he served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps and graduated from UConn with a business degree.
John met his wife, Lynn Haney Trowbridge, at the Wadawanuck Club and later proposed at Stonington Point. They moved to Washington, D.C., in the early 1980s, where they raised their children before relocating to Guilford in 1997.
A commercial real estate appraiser, John deeply valued honesty and the discipline of finishing every job he started. He served as Sergeant at Arms for the Guilford Rotary and, even as a vegan, was an enthusiastic clawcracker for hungry attendees at each year’s Lobsterfest.
He was the unofficial "Mayor" of every dog park he frequented with his dog, Sasha, forging deep relationships with everyone he met.
He was a father who showed up. He drove his daughter, Sarah, to 4:15 a.m. rowing practices, waiting nearby on a motorboat with his dog and a cigar before heading to work. He was a constant at his son’s rec basketball games, followed by trips to Donut Village. He built tree houses and snow igloos, flew kites, and “somewhat tolerated” the noise of his children practicing their instruments. When his wife Lynn was ready to publish a book, he was first in line to proofread the copy.
John was a man of quiet strength who helped neighbors fell trees, refinished the family deck, and built model airplanes. He was quick-witted, a student of Trowbridge genealogy, and a lover of backgammon, crossword, fishing and making fried egg sandwiches.
John is survived by his wife, Lynn; his children, Sarah and Alexander; and his sister, Lucia Johnston. He was predeceased by his sister, Barbara Sheriff Barnes.
Services will be held when it’s warmer.