For those who knew him, John F. Limitone, known among his chosen family as Daddy J, provided a space where we could exist unencumbered by the stresses and expectations of everyday life. With a smile and a warm hug, Daddy J was capable of letting anyone who entered his aura know that they were welcome and loved exactly as they were.

This stalwart representative of the Seattle leather community — and indeed the city of Seattle as a whole — passed away on February 16, 2025, and his loss can be felt in the numerous voices from across the country that have come together to share stories of love, passion, and creativity that define Daddy J and the legacy he leaves behind.

Daddy J made his way to Seattle by way of New York, Chicago, and Santa Maria, California. Through his travels, he discovered a passion for the arts and regularly brought the theatricality of live performances and costume design to the events and communities he served. Whether donning head-to-toe leather or an elegant red evening gown he purchased from his local thrift store earlier that day and modified, Daddy J's ability to make a statement never went unnoticed.

Very few can claim the passion for community and charitable works that Daddy J possessed. In a world where many stay insulated amid their friends, family, or organization of choice, Daddy J would regularly reach out to provide support and presence to any cause he could.

Daddy J held the titles of Seattle Men in Leather's Seattle Leather Daddy 2023 and Washington State Mr. Leather 2024 with the Washington State Leather Organization. Additionally, he was recently elected to the board of directors of the Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle and remained a constant supporter of Seattle Pups and Handlers and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Abbey of St. Joan, among many other groups.

Away from the leather and glitter, Daddy J brought the same level of love and compassion to his work at Tacoma General Hospital and demonstrated a love of animals. He would regularly open his heart and his home to the fur babies of Seattle and Tacoma that needed shelter and care, proving that the kindness that caught the attention of his community was more than just words in exchange for votes.

Those who knew Daddy J speak of him as a warm light: inspiring in his creativity, filled with love, welcoming and kind to everyone he met. To the Seattle community, he embodied the compassion needed in these challenging times. This is his legacy as Leather Daddy and Washington State Mr. Leather, and this is how those who loved him will honor his memory.

May those who follow in his footsteps find the same drive to illuminate a world now dimmer without him, to build connections throughout Seattle, and to ensure that his memory inspires us all to live more compassionately. Through Daddy J's influence, we can become better as individuals and as a community because of the indelible mark he left on our hearts.