On December 21, 2020, John Franklin Kincaid passed away peacefully at his floating home in Seattle with his beloved three daughters by his side, following his recent battle with cancer.
John’s life began on January 15, 1953 in Great Falls, Montana, as the first of three children born to John and Barbara Kincaid. He spent his early years in Missoula before his family moved to Spokane where he attended Ferris High School. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington in 1975 and was a member of Delta Chi fraternity where he made many life-long friends. After traveling around the US as a public relations rep for General Motors, he returned to the UW and earned an MBA. In 1983 John married his wife of 28 years, Sally Schaake, and the following year they moved with their 3 month old daughter Allison to Yakima where John began employment with Washington Fruit. One year later their family grew to 5 with the birth of twins Leslie and Jean.
John eventually became employed in the cattle industry, working first for Washington Beef, where at age 37 he was promoted to CEO. In 1994 he began running the Schaake family cattle business. He was instrumental in the merger of the Schaake feedlot operation with Beef Northwest Feeders in 2001, and in 2008 he retired.
In 2010 John moved to Seattle once again. He continued volunteer work he had begun in Yakima, serving on nonprofit boards. He particularly enjoyed his involvement with the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, and while president of its board he played a significant role in the Burke’s expansion to its spectacular new home in 2019. He also continued to travel the world, an interest that was cultivated in high school when he was an exchange student in Austria. John was a member of YPO/WPO global leadership community for 30 years. He was an avid reader of war history, and a Husky fan (he was a fanatic). He loved the mountains and was a hiker throughout his life. He enjoyed skiing, boating on Lake Washington, visits to Montana/Glacier National Park country – and fast cars.
All that said, most important to John was his relationship with his three daughters, whom he loved more than anything in the world. He was an exceptionally involved and dedicated dad – and grandfather, and blessed his family with his child-like sense of humor and booming, infectious laugh, and with his heartfelt guidance, and zest for life.
John leaves behind his daughter Allison (Paulo) Gutscher, daughter Leslie (Nick) Kincaid-Lawrence, and daughter Jean (David) Koewler; grandchildren Amelie and Joaquim Gutscher, Monty Lawrence, and Calvin Koewler; former wife and friend Sally Kincaid; sisters Mary Kincaid and Annie Stinson and nieces Hailey Hatflield and Joan Lerner, nephews John and Michael Stinson and many close friends.
A memorial service will be scheduled sometime in the future. The family suggests memorial contributions to the Burke Museum and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
