June 21, 1913-Dec. 7, 2007
Robert (Bob) Foster Stone, 94, died on Dec. 7, 2007.
He was born to Robert Ray and Martha (Foster) Stone in Rockford, Ill.
His father died when he was 7. His family moved to Montana in 1923. At age 10, he began working on hay, sheep and cattle ranches in Montana, the Dakotas and Wyoming. At age 21, he came to Oregon’s Willamette Valley and worked in the hop fields.
He settled in Sweet Home and married Violet Snook. She died shortly after the birth of their daughter, Rosalie.
In 1942, Mr. Stone married Gladys Pappin. They were married 50 years. She died in 1993.
Mr. Stone enlisted in the Army and served four years in Europe during World War II. His unit was the Signal Corps.
He was in the bunker three days after Hitler’s suicide, and he was with the American forces that liberated the Dachau concentration camp.
He returned to Sweet Home in 1946 and moved his family to Humboldt County and Grass Valley in California for a few years.
He moved his family back to Sweet Home and was one of Kenneth White’s first employees. He was essential to Mr. White establishing White’s Electronics as a company. He retired from White’s at age 62.
Mr. Stone was a longtime resident of Sweet Home and was a member of the Rock and Mineral Club and enjoyed fishing and gold panning. He was a member of the Assembly of God Church for many years. He also attended Community Chapel and the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
He married Doris (Moore) Hatch on Aug. 9, 1994 and remained in Sweet Home until 2004 when he moved to Applegate, Calif., and then to Port Orchard, Wash.
He is survived by his wife, Doris; daughter and son-in-law, Rosalie and Joe Sharnetsky of Idaho; daughter, Arleta Stone of Dallas, Texas; son and daughter-in-law Rob and Doris of Sweet Home; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Devorah; brother, Marvis; and great-grandson, Jonathan.
A graveside service, with military honors, was held on Dec. 18 at Gilliland Cemetery.