Mary Y. Stone

Mary Y. Stone, age 87 of Tulsa, formerly of Yucaipa, California passed away Saturday, December 30, 2017. She was born February 5, 1930 in San Bernardino, California to Robert and Gertrude (McCleskey) Hill. She was raised on a street at the foot of Little Mountain and spent many hours playing there with the neighbor kids. Her dad worked at the telephone company and her mom was a "stay at home mom". Mary was raised during the depression and World War II. She was a very talented artist. Her dream was to be a fashion designer or a commercial artist. She graduated from San Bernardino High School. She was working at the Carnation Dairy soda shop when she met Dean Stone. Dean was training to be a commercial pilot after the war when they met. At the age of 18, Mary eloped to Las Vegas with Dean and were married May 22, 1949, giving up her dream as an artist to raise a family. Due to Dean's work, the family moved to many locations over the years. Southern California was always home to Mary. She worked in customer service most of her life. She worked in banking as a teller then as an executive secretary. She retired from Security Pacific Bank in Crestline, CA and settled in Yucaipa. Mary was a hard worker and did her best to raise four kids mostly on her own. The holidays were very important to Mary. She always decorated for Thanksgiving and Christmas and baked cookies, fudge, dates and pies. She loved to have fun and loved to have a house full of company or the neighbor kids. Mary had many trials in her life. There were also times of great joy. The greatest joys in Mary's life were her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Mary is survived by her children Shirley Gunderson, her husband Paul of Tulsa, Michael Stone, his wife Linda of Nixa, and Randy Stone, his wife Lori of Greenwood, MO; seven grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Mary is preceded in death by her parents; former husband Dean Stone; a son Ronald Stone; her sister Linda Hill; and her brother Robert Hill. A visitation will be held from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM Friday, January 5, 2018 in Adams Funeral Home, Nixa. The funeral service will follow at 6:00 PM in the funeral home. Cremation will follow the service.