Obituary for Richard Stone

Richard E. Stone, age 82, passed away Sunday, May 11 at Ponca City Medical Center.

He was fondly known by his family and friends as Dick. Dick was born in Clinton, Illinois, June 7, 1931 to Warren W. and Mary T. Stone. His twin brother Robert A Stone (Virginia) preceded him in death in 1989. His brother Dr. Howard A. Stone (Mary Gay) of Decatur, IL. survives as well as several nieces and nephews. He graduated from Clinton Community High School in 1949 and received his B.S. degree in Marketing from the University of Illinois in 1957. Dick served in the US Army from 1953 to 1955 and spent his service time at the US Army Hospital at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri where he received two meritorious promotions and a letter of commendation. He was honorably discharged from the Army Reserve with the Rank of an E-7 Sgt. 1st class in 1961.

On May 8th, 1957 he married the love of his life, Ruth Virginia Cooper at the First Christian Church in Clinton, IL… They have been members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) since. They have two chosen children, Scott R. of Wichita, Kansas and Elizabeth Ann Fuller of Houston, Texas. They have three grandchildren, Todd(Christina), Kara and Leah Fuller. They have three great grandchildren, Ava, Ali Fuller and Caden Reyna.

Upon graduation from the U of I, Dick was employed by JCPenney Co. and spent 36 years in various store and district management positions in Decatur, IL. Kansas City, Mo. Oklahoma City, Ok. Ponca City, Ok. and Wichita, Kansas. He was awarded the Chairman’s Award of Excellence in 1987 & 88. Dick was known as a mentor for his management staff and managers in his district. He and Ruth retired in 1993 and moved to Ponca City, Ok. where he had been a store manager from 1978-1983, and was active in church and civic activities.

In 1996 he was elected to the Ponca City Board of Commissioners and in 2004 was elected to the position of Mayor of Ponca City, for a three year term ending in 2007. These were volunteer positions. He took part in the expansion of the city water treatment plant, the wastewater plant, the solid waste facility, the number one fire station and the expansion and renovation of City Hall, the expansion of the runway at the Ponca City airport. He saw that the Fire Department was equipped with the best of equipment and that the Police department got a new training facility at the Police firing range. In 2005 he appointed the 20/20 Visioning Task Force which put together a vision of what the citizens wanted the city to look like by the year 2020. The Ponca City, YMCA Sports and Recreation Center project was called for a vote and was passed by the citizens in 2007 as his last major accomplishment. He sponsored the city’s Wall of Honor which was dedicated in 2009 which honored long time city manager Gary Martin, Carl and Carolyn Renfro, Pat and Jerry Evans and Fred and Suzanne Boettcher.

Dick was remembered for his life as a servant. He served his company as a Government Relations representative for 4 years. He began teaching Sunday school at the age of fifteen and has taught regularly in every church in which he held membership. He has served as deacon and elder and on various district, regional manifestations of the church, and served one term on the General Board of The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ.) He served 12 years on the board of the Colorado Christian Home, Tennyson Center for Children and Families, Denver, Co., and was honored by being elected to the board as a member emeritus in 2007.

While in Wichita, Ks. He was on the board of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and was vice president for two years. He served on the boards of Merchants associations in each city where he was a store manager. He was a member of the Wichita and Ponca City Rotary International Clubs, where he received the Distinguished Service Award and the Rotarian of the Year Award Dick was a two time Paul Harris Fellow. Dick served on the Metro YMCA board of Directors of Wichita for eight years, one year as president as well as the Wichita and Ponca City Chambers of Commerce. He served several years on the Ponca City Tomorrow board. He was a tutor and mentor to students of reading in the Woodland and Lincoln Schools for several years. He also worked Friendship Feast and Meals on Wheels. Following retirement the second time, Dick enjoyed making unique bird houses for friends, playing golf and baking cookies as well as serving on the Ponca City Planning Commission and the board of the Citizens Police Academy.

Dick was elected to the University Center Foundation Board and worked tirelessly to raise the funds needed to retro-fit the United Grocery Store building into a new University Center location.

Memorial Services will be held 1:30 PM Thursday, May 15, 2014 at the First Christian Church, 210 North 5th Street, Ponca City.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Christian Church, Ponca City or to the Tennyson Center for Children, 2950 Tennyson Street, Denver, CO 80212-3029.

Source: Trout Funeral Home