William "Bill" E. Stone

William Eugene “Bill” Stone, 81, died Friday, July 13th at his home, near Forest City, MO.

Born February 28, 1931, in Big Springs, TX, Bill was the son of Harvey William and Virginia (Hartnett) Stone.

Bill attended school in Fortescue, MO, and was a member of the class of 1949, the last graduation class of Fortescue  High    School.

He attended Northwest Missouri State College in Maryville, MO, before joining the Navy in November 1951.

September 1952, Bill married Peggy Mitchell at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Forest City, MO.

After his discharge from the Navy in 1955, they returned to the family farm where he lived the rest of his life.

Bill served on the Fortescue Special Road District, the Canon Drainage District, Levee District #9 and the Craig R-III school board.

He was a charter member of the NFO and a member of the Holt County Historical Society.

Bill was a Eucharist Minister and had served as president of the parish council at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, where he was a lifelong parishioner.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a son-in-law, Dennis Huey.

Survivors include Bill’s wife, Peggy, of the home, and their eight children: Becky Derks (Paul); Bobby (Ginny); Harvey (Mary); Rachel Vandever (Danny); Kirby (Jeannie); Katie, Mary Helen Huey; and Shannon; twenty-four grandchildren, Sarah (Jeff) Nolder;  JoAnne (Johnnie) Anderson;  Michele (Kevin) Tadlock;  Nathan, Joseph, William, Gabriel, Ffiona, Rafe, and Killian Stone;  Adam Jungk;  Amanda (Terry) Troncin; Meghan Vandever; Heather (Justin) Smith; Mary Katherine (Dustin) Dockery; Eric Stone; Lori (Harry)Covert ; Beth Stone; Mitchell, Matthew, Ellie, Alex Huey; Nick and Hannah Stone;  twelve great-grandchildren, Jack and Tyler Nolder;  Cole, Brodie,  and Jude Anderson; Cadence Buckler; Chance, Sydney, Owen, and Lila Rae Smith; Christian Stone; and Conner Stone; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Bill loved his family, farm, church, and community. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Mass of Christian Burial was Wednesday, July 18th, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Forest City. Interment was held at Mount Olivet Cemetery in St. Joseph, Missouri.