If you lived in the St. Louis area and wanted to buy decorating services, antique furniture, or accessories, you went to Warfield’s Inc., a distinguished firm owned by John. He was the third-generation owner of the company, which was founded in 1912 by his grandmother and continued by his mother until he took charge in 1964.
From 1951 to 1974, John made frequent trips to England, France, and Italy to buy antiques. At home, he headed the company’s interior-design work. After 1974, he maintained the business while working out of his home.
In 1948, following Navy service, John earned a master’s degree in the fine arts at Harvard. A lifelong bachelor, John, who died July 1, 2014, was praised in his St. Louis Post-Dispatch obituary with the words, “He will be remembered by his many friends for his exceptionally good company and interesting conversation.”