Jerald Eugene Stone

JERALD EUGENE STONE Funeral services for longtime area resident Jerald Eugene Stone will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, September 8 at Ertel Memorial Chapel. Interment will follow at Lewis Cemetery. Military honors will be provided by the Ute Mountain American Legion Post #75. Visitation has been scheduled for Wednesday evening from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Ertel Chapel. Jerald Eugene Stone, known to his many friends as "Zeke", was born October 11, 1932, in Brocksburg, Nebraska. He was one of eight children born to Bert and Edna Stone. The Stone family moved to Cortez in 1939. After two years they moved to Dove Creek, then to Blanding and finally back to Cortez. Bert Stone worked as a blacksmith after returning home from WWI. Jerald loved the outdoors. Camping was a favorite activity for him. He had trap lines set in Hartman Draw and Totten Lake areas. He would turn in the muskrat and skunk hides for a small bounty. He checked his lines before school walking miles every morning. Jerald stayed busy working at a creamery, hauling hay and other various jobs. Jerald graduated from Cortez High School in 1951, where he was voted class president one year. After high school he entered the Navy. He served on a fleet tug in the Aleutian Islands and also on the battle cruiser USS Bremerton during the Korean War. Jerald earned three Battle Stars. On December 4, 1955, Jerald married Janice Kay Higgins. With $35 in his pocket, a pound of bologna and a loaf of bread, they set out for Albuquerque to celebrate their honeymoon. In the early years Jerald worked at a uranium mine where he owned a claim and at a gas station for his father-in-law, David Higgins. They moved to Farmington, N.M., where he secured a job with Dowell. Jerald was a very hard worker and this caught the eye of a supervisor from Texaco. He offered Jerald a job in the Aneth Oil Field, so they moved back to Cortez. Janice and Jerald had four children, Mike, Doug, Daren and Kerry. In 1966 the family moved four miles north of Cortez where they had purchased 35 acres and built a home. Eventually he bought 15 more acres from a neighbor. Jerald often referred to it as the "old dry hill". He swore it never rained on his property! He enjoyed raising various animals, pigs, sheep, rabbits, and cows to name a few. Jerald built fence and barns all by himself and raised hay and occasionally oats. He was very proud of his farm. He retired from Texaco after 23 years. He and Janice travelled to Holland, Hawaii, and Acapulco. They also enjoyed springtime trips to Texas in their later years to visit Kerry's family. Jerald enjoyed fishing. One of his fondest trips was to Alaska! Jerald was a man of principle who stood up for what he believed in. He was someone who was liked and respected by many people, not only because he was fun to be around but because he went out of his way to do things for others. Jerald lost his beautiful wife Janice of almost 60 years in May 2015. Also, preceding him in death were his parents, Bert and Edna Stone; brother, Paul Joseph (Joe); baby sister, Geraldine; sister Jessamine West; sister, Judy Bishop; and brother, Glenn. Jerald is survived by his children, Mike (Mary) Stone, Doug (Cathy) Stone, Daren (Kathy) Stone, and Kerry (Ken) Staab; his grandchildren, Elizabeth (Sam) Sparks, Jennifer (Sam) Cropp, Jacob Stone, Casey (Kaycee) Stone, David (Melanie) Staab, and Michael Staab; his four great-grandchildren, Aubrey and Brianna Garcia, Chasen Stone, Garrett Cropp; his siblings, Raye Kennedy and Charles Stone; and by numerous nieces and nephews. Jerald passed away on Monday, September 5, 2016 at the Valley Inn Nursing Home in Mancos. Memorial contributions can be made to Montezuma Valley Presbyterian church in Cortez.