1925 – 2015
LEWISTON — George J. Stone of Sabattus and Gulfport, Fla., passed away on Thursday, July 30, at d’Youville Pavilion after a short illness.
George was born in Lewiston on March 9, 1925, the younger son of Winnifred (Parent) and George Holland Stone. George graduated in 1943 from Lewiston High School. At LHS, George played third base for the Blue Devils’ very successful teams of the early 1940s. He also played basketball and football and participated in swimming.
Immediately after graduation, George joined the U.S. Army and served his country in World War II in the Pacific, including Hawaii, Tinian and the Japanese Home Islands. George’s only brother, Army Staff Sgt. Robert J. Stone, 10th Armored Division, was killed in action in eastern France in 1944.
George married Arline Lonergan in January 1947 at St. Patrick’s Chapel, and they enjoyed 61 years of marriage before she passed in March 2008, residing in the same family home for over six decades.
George joined the New England Telephone Co. and started a 40-year career as an installer-repairman and retired in Special Services. “Big George” loved his craft, and worked many events in the area, including the Liston-Ali Fight, and was involved in the first trans-Atlantic satellite TV transmission from the Earth station at Andover to Paris, France.
Sports were an integral part of his long and productive life, and George is still remembered for many epic backyard games on his lawn, tennis courts and frozen ponds of Sabattus. He followed the Red Sox, the Patriots and the Bruins closely. He loved golf and played many rounds in both Maine and Florida, up to and including this summer.
In his younger years, George was a key member of the champion Bates Manufacturing baseball team of the early 1950s. He looked forward to his daily cribbage games with Jim Betsch, Marty Dow, Quent Hall, Gerry Laplante and others.
George was very active in the Lewiston, Auburn and Sabattus communities. He was a past exalted ruler of the Lewiston Lodge of Elks and president of the St. Patrick’s Church Parish Council.
Arline and George enjoyed United Commercial Travelers and volunteering at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in downtown Lewiston. He enjoyed the beach life on the Gulf of Mexico and experienced hundreds of spectacular sunsets with Arline in their long retirement.
George is survived by four children, Robert D. Stone and his wife, Susan, of Auburn, Gary P. Stone and his partner, Janis Holt, of Brighton, Colo., Brian J. Stone of Sabattus, and Shauna E. Stone and her husband, Michael Thornton, of Kingston, Mass., and Gulfport, Fla.
He was predeceased by his son, George W. (Bill) Stone of California. He was the proud grandfather of seven and great-grandfather of eight.
The family wishes to thank the staffs of Central Maine Medical Center and d’Youville Pavilion for their outstanding care and compassion as another member of the Greatest Generation passes on to his eternal rest.
Donations, condolences and a video tribute may be accessed online at www.albert-burpee.com.
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