Martha J. Stone

Martha Jane Stone was born July 26, 1925 at Trenton, Missouri to Maples P. Owens and Elsie May Stamper. She grew up in Trenton and graduated from high school there. As a young woman, she moved to Kansas City, Missouri where she worked at North American Aviation and then to Los Angeles, CA to work at Firestone. She fondly told stories of joining the USO in California and participating in their socials and dances entertaining troops on leave from World War II. It was at one of those socials where she met fellow Missourian and Navy sailor George W. Stone. They married on June 23, 1946 in Trenton, MO and made their home there. George worked in the family’s automobile business and they had two daughters. In 1961, they moved to Hudson, Ohio where George ran George Stone Ford and Martha volunteered with the Hudson Welcome Wagon. Once their daughters were grown, the Stones moved to Clearwater, Florida, where they remained for the rest of their lives. The Stones celebrated 50 years of marriage in 1996 at a celebration full of family and friends. Martha was a smart, sophisticated woman who loved wine, food and travel. She was quick with a smile and loved to laugh, often at her own expense. She was a member of Anona Methodist church. Martha is preceded in death by her parents and her husband, George; a brother, Kenneth Owens; a sister, Barbara Noble; and niece, Linda Ballew. She is survived by many friends and admirers, including her daughters Connie (Bobby) Hall and Georgann Reeves; grandchildren Kim (Ron) McDaniel, Erin Hughey, Michale Hall, Katherine (Jason) Jenkins; and a great grandson, Ryder Jenkins. Nieces and nephews include Sally (Mark) Forester, Steve Owens, Gary (Pat) Owens, Philip Owens, Ruthann (Philip) Josephson, Denise (Mike) Belcher, Stephen Desper and Suzanne Mayo. Services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 22 at Serenity Gardens Chapel, 13401 Indian Rocks Road, Largo, Florida. Private internment at a later date. Donations can be sent in her name to Best Friends Animal Society.