John A. Lisbon, 62, a lifelong resident of Provincetown, died at home on November 4th. He was the husband of Linda Lisbon.
Born in Provincetown on June 14, 1949, John was the third of six children belonging to Joe and Lillian Lisbon. A Provincetown native through and through, John was a vibrant member of Provincetown’s original Portuguese community and was often referred to as the “unofficial” mayor of Provincetown. He could often be found driving his truck throughout town, making frequent stops to greet the seemingly endless number of people that considered him to be a friend. It can easily be said that he loved Provincetown and Provincetown loved him.
As the son of a local fisherman, John loved living on the water in Provincetown’s east end, and always had a strong connection to the harbor and Provincetown’s seafaring lifestyle. He would tell stories of the “old” Provincetown days and taking trips down to the wharf with his father as a child, something that he continued to do throughout his adult life. More often than not, he was accompanied by one of his beloved dogs, most memorably his Border Collie Bandit, who rarely left John’s side.
A local contractor, John spent many years running his own construction company on the Outer Cape and his work can be seen on many buildings throughout town. John was also an avid traveler, and spent a great deal of time traveling with his wife of 15 years and the love of his life, Linda. The couple, in recent years, found great joy driving across country in their camper, visiting friends and relatives along the way. John was a classic car enthusiast who took great pride in his own, lovingly restored 1966 Ford Mustang.
Even in the face of health problems in his later years, John’s energy and love of life was unfailing. He was always quick to make a joke and brought laughter with him wherever he went.
He dearly loved his stepchildren, Elsa and Stefan, and always celebrated their achievements with a fatherly pride.
In addition to his wife and children, John is survived by sisters Patty Lisbon and Charlotte Gordon and her husband Bill, brother Brian Lisbon, niece Danielle Lisbon, nephews Mark and Scott Lisbon, Aubrey Gordon and his wife Elena, and a grand niece, Eva Gordon. Grand nephews Dylan, Tyler and Justin Lisbon, in addition to many other relatives and friends that he considered to be family also survive him. He was preceded by his brothers Joe and Bobby Lisbon.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Peter the Apostle Church 11 Prince St. Provincetown on Thursday, November 10 at 11:00am. Visiting hours are Wednesday at the Gately Funeral Home, 94 Harry Kemp Way Provincetown from 4:00 – 7:00pm.
If desired, donations may be made to the Provincetown Rescue Squad, PO Box 109, Provincetown, MA 02657, as they were always there for John.