Justin Milliken is being remembered following his death Wednesday morning at Grumpy’s Restaurant in St. Johns, Florida.
According to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the restaurant at 155 Fountains Way after receiving a call and found Milliken deceased inside the business. Authorities said there was no indication of foul play.
Milliken co-owned the St. Johns Grumpy’s location with his wife, Leah. The couple became franchisees in 2020 and opened the restaurant at The Fountains at St. Johns in 2021. The restaurant quickly became a familiar breakfast and lunch destination for people in the surrounding community.
For Milliken and his wife, the restaurant was more than a business. When the St. Johns location opened, Leah described Grumpy’s as a family favorite and said they wanted to create a place where families and friends could gather. The restaurant became part of the area's growing local business community and provided employment for residents.
Milliken also had a professional background that extended well beyond the restaurant industry. His LinkedIn profile lists four years of active-duty service as a U.S. Army officer from 1997 to 2001, including work as a Special Operations Medical Officer. He later spent more than two decades working in medical-device sales and management before becoming involved with Grumpy’s. His military history has not been independently verified by local reporting.
News of his death has brought grief to his family, employees, customers, friends, and others who knew him through the restaurant and his work in the community.
Grumpy’s Restaurant Company President and CEO Daniel DeLeon expressed the company's sadness over Milliken's death and extended condolences to his family, Leah, the St. Johns team, and everyone affected by the loss. The company declined to discuss the circumstances surrounding his death, citing respect for the family and the involvement of authorities.
The St. Johns location was closed Wednesday following the incident and was expected to reopen Thursday during normal business hours.
The circumstances surrounding Milliken's death remain a sensitive matter, and authorities have not released additional details beyond confirming that there was no indication of foul play.
Justin Milliken leaves behind a family, a business community, employees, customers, and friends who are now facing his sudden absence.
🌹 He will be remembered for the roles he held as a father, business owner, former military officer, and familiar member of the St. Johns community.
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