STONE, Raymond O.

The Verde Independent, Cottonwood, AZ May 27, 2005 Raymond O. Stone was born Feb. 21, 1912, in Parma, Idaho, and died April 25, 2005, in Hillsboro, Ore. He spent his life in Secondary Education for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. His retirement years were spent here in the Verde Valley living in both Cornville and then Cottonwood. Ray was director of the Cottonwood Adventist Community Service Center for five years. During that time he gave direction to the program and spiritual leadership, counseled the grieving and encouraged the despondent. His expertise as a shopper assured our donors that every dollar would provide several dollars' worth of food for the hungry. It was his joy to personally hand a banana to a child who had eaten no breakfast because there was no food in the house and to be ready with a second banana if the lines were long. His care for people - hurting people - guided his life and motivated his interaction with all with whom he came in contact. There was never a doubt - this was a man who cared deeply and did his very best to make life a little easier for those around him, especially the young and the hurting. After the death of his wife, Beulah, Ray Stone moved to Oregon to be near his remaining family. Survivors include daughter, Byrna Rae Botimer of Cornelius, Ore.; son Robert J. Stone of Milwaukee, Ore.; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; sister Doris Wisbey of Napa, Calif., and brother Joe Stone of Portland, Ore.