Phyllis Stone

Phyllis E. Stone died peacefully on June 21, 2022, at the age of 100, in Grandville, MI, where she resided for the last eleven years following the passing of her beloved husband of 68 years, Donn E. Stone. Phyllis was born September 8, 1921, in Detroit, MI, second daughter of Elmer and Eva Schick of Grosse Pointe Park, MI. A devout Catholic, Phyllis attended St. Paul School and the Sacred Heart Convent, graduating in 1939. She was an avid and competitive tennis player as a teenager as well as a capable golfer.

In 1940, Phyllis took a secretarial job in Detroit with JK Smit & Sons, an industrial diamond company, where she met and married her boss’s son in 1942 as America’s participation in WWII was building. She followed her husband to Florida where he attended Army Air Corp Officer Candidate School and their first child was born. When she was able, she accompanied Donn to his next posting in Helena, Montana, and survived a freezing winter before he was transferred to the Hawaiian Islands and she returned to Michigan.

After the war, the family moved to Grosse Ile, MI, where they welcomed six more children and raised them on “The Island” moving from house to house as the family grew larger and then smaller. Phyllis was extremely active in the local parish of Sacred Heart, where she was a member of the Altar Society and taught Catechism classes. In addition to the demands of raising and coordinating the activities of seven children, Phyllis remained an active person who enjoyed numerous sports and indoor and outdoor activities, including golf, tennis, skiing, bike riding, walking, dancing, fishing, bird watching and duck hunting. She encouraged and supported her children in their individual pursuits and was an avid reader when her family responsibilities permitted.

In retirement, Phyllis and Donn lived for many years in Florida, first in Marco Island and later in Venice, where they enjoyed frequent visits from family and friends, boating, swimming, biking, and everything that state had to offer. Phyllis was particularly fond of beachcombing and collecting shells on the beaches and barrier islands and interesting rocks wherever she found them. Wherever they resided, Phyllis would become actively involved in the activities of the local Catholic parish. After moving to Grandville, Phyllis joined the parish of St. Pius and lived independently for a number of years, driving her car into her nineties. She also pursued her avocation of collecting toothpick holders and other interesting antiques, acquiring an impressive collection. She joined The Questers, a historical preservation nonprofit group, with her daughter, Kathy, and enjoyed the interaction with other antique collectors and history buffs. Like many elders, her memory began to slip as she approached and experienced her centennial year, but Phyllis was a character with a unique sense of humor who often came up with surprisingly appropriate comments that revealed her continuing awareness of her surroundings and her place in them.

In addition to her husband, Donn, Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Eva Schick; and her elder sister, Virginia Wilson. She is survived by her younger sister, Georgia Cowley of Grosse Ile, MI; her children, Donn Stone, Timothy Stone (Anne), Julia Noble (Ron), Kathryn Piersma (Durk), Liddy Hendricks (John), Mark Stone (Shawn Henriksen), and Matthew Stone (Erin); her grandchildren, Paul Stone (Rachael Hannah), Sarah Stone (Ben Elbow), Stacy Jakobe (Neill), David Stone (Caroline Taormina), Jonathan Arnold (Michelle), Kate Stone Hendricks, Nora Stone (Matt Roney), Connor Stone, Hannah Stone, Xavier Stone, Casimir Stone, Abraham Stone, Donnovan Stone, Fiona Stone; and great-grandchildren, Bella and Jackson Arnold, Eva and Isaiah Jakobe, Elizabeth and Helen Elbow, Axel and Magnus Stone.

Phyllis was unshakable in her belief in the Roman Catholic Church. Her faith was the cornerstone of her life and provided her with the strength to navigate the trials and tribulations of war, peace and raising a large and diverse family.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 3937 Wilson SW Grandville 49418, with Fr. Stephen Durkee presiding. The burial will take place at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Detroit. Relatives and friends may meet the family Tuesday, from 10-11 a.m. prior to the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Phyllis’ memory may be made to the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, 660 Burton Street SE, Grand Rapids MI 49507.