Linda Bean, an entrepreneur, GOP activist and granddaughter of outdoor retailer L.L. Bean, has died

Linda L. Bean, the granddaughter of famed outdoor retailer L.L. Bean who became an entrepreneur, philanthropist and conservative activist, has died at the age of 82.

Bean died Saturday, his business manager Veronica Carlson confirmed in a written statement Sunday. No reason was given.

“Linda was known for her amazing work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit, as well as her pride and dedication to her home state.” I and L.L.Bean, the company founded by his grandfather,” the statement said. “Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

Bean’s grandfather, Leon Leonwood Bean, founded the company in 1912. It grew through its popular catalog, offering durable products such as rubber-bottomed shoes that came with a lifetime guarantee.

Linda Bean served on the company’s board for nearly half a century. She also purchased lobster dealerships, founded the Perfect Maine Lobster brand in 2007, and owned general stores, inns and vacation rentals on the central coast of Maine, where she lived in Port Clyde.

He helped lead the effort in 2013 to have Maine’s lobster industry certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council, a London-based nonprofit—a certification that was drawn in 2022 excessive worry about harm to whales,

His philanthropic efforts include supporting Maine Medical Helicopters’ LifeFlight and the Maine Botanical Garden in Boothbay, as well as promoting the life of early 20th-century painter and artist N.C. Wyeth, father of renowned painter Andrew Wyeth, and preserving family properties. Doing was involved.

“Linda Bean loved the state of Maine. Republican US Senator Susan Collins said in a written statement on Sunday its coastal communities, islands and art, particularly by the Wyeths, had a special place in her heart. “Linda was also an astute businesswoman who promoted Maine lobster through her restaurants. Several times while waiting for my plane in Portland, I ate a cup of his famous lobster stew at his airport restaurant.

Bean was also a large donor to Republican causes and ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Congress, in 1988 and 1992. She ran as an opponent of abortion rights, gay rights legislation, and gun control, and she believed in cutting taxes to boost the economy.

He also supported efforts to repeal the Maine law outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation, and he urged the Defense Department to do the same Reverse Obama-era policies Allowing transgender individuals to serve in the military.

In 2017, the Federal Election Commission called Bean contributed greatly He funded a political action committee to support the presidential campaign of Donald Trump. This prompted some liberal groups to call for a boycott of LL Bean – which they described as “harassment by a small group of fanatical goons on the West Coast left”. California“We’re trying to control what we do in Maine, what we buy, what we sell.”

“Although her politics did not match mine, Linda and I found common ground in our home state, the coast of Maine and our working wetlands, our mutual love of Maine-inspired art and the perfect Maine lobster roll,” Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, said in a written statement. “I enjoyed her company and admired her business acumen. On behalf of the people of Maine, I extend my deepest condolences to Linda’s family and loved ones and the entire L.L.Bean community.

There was no immediately available information about any survivors.

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