After a long life as a businesswoman and Republican leader, Linda L. Bean, the granddaughter of the founder of L.L. Bean, died at the age of 82 . Veronika Carlson, Bean’s business manager, said that she had died on Saturday. The reason for her death was not given.
The statement read, “Linda was known for her amazing work ethic, entrepreneurial spirit as well as her pride and dedication to her home state of Maine and L.L.Bean, the company her grandfather founded. Our hearts go out to her family and friends.”
Linda Bean is the granddaughter of Leon Leonwood Bean, who started L.L. Bean. She was on the board of the outdoor store for 46 years and also ran her own business for a while.
Linda Bean Entrepreneur’s Death She started the Perfect Maine Lobster brand in 2007. It now has many restaurants, food trucks, and home delivery services for lobster in the Pine Tree State. Perfect Maine’s website says Bean spoke out in favor of Maine’s famous lobsters and led an effort to look into how long wild-caught lobster could be caught off the coast of Maine.
Perfect Maine wrote, “In 2007 Linda took a strong interest in helping to brand and advance Maine lobster, a year when landings by all licensed Maine fishing family boats totaled 68 million pounds. During her years of operations and expansions, Maine’s landings have doubled, pushing the need for creative marketing, thus spawning Linda’s latest idea.”
Maine’s lobster business was recognized as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council in 2013, according to Perfect Maine. A report from The Associated Press said that the approval was taken away in 2022 because of issues that could hurt whales.
Bean ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1988 and 1992, and she gave a lot of money to various Republican campaigns. In 2017, the Federal Election Commission said Bean gave $60,000 to a pro-Trump PAC, which made people look closely at her. Legally, the most people can donate is $5,000, which is why the PAC, Make America Great Again LLC, wants to become a super PAC to get endless donations.
Trump thanked Bean for her help on social media, writing, “Thank you to Linda Bean of L.L.Bean for your great support and courage. People will support you even more now. Buy L.L.Bean. @LBPerfectMaine.”
The next day, the Office of Government Ethics reminded people in the executive office that they couldn’t endorse products without mentioning the former president by name.
On Sunday, Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) said she was “saddened” to hear about Bean’s death.
“Linda’s career included nearly five decades on the board of the iconic company started by her grandfather, L.L. Bean, and successful ventures and investments in Maine’s lobster, real estate and hospitality industries,” Mills wrote in a statement , adding later, “While her politics did not align with mine, Linda and I found common ground in our mutual love of our home state, of the coast of Maine and our working waterfronts, of Maine inspired art and of the perfect Maine lobster roll.”
Susan Collins (R-Maine), a lawmaker, remembers Bean for how much she loved Maine.
Collins wrote on social media , “Its coastal communities, islands, and art, particularly by the Wyeths, had a special place in her heart. Linda also was an astute businesswoman who promoted Maine lobster through her restaurants.”
“Many a time while waiting for my plane in Portland, I had a cup of her famous lobster stew at her airport restaurant. My heart goes out to her sons and other family members as they mourn the loss of this remarkable Mainer.”
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