Reverend Maurice Stone

Dr. Maurice Leon Stone, age 90, passed away on March 14, 2025 at Givens Estates with family by his side. Maurice Stone was born January 8, 1935, in Richmond, VA. He was preceded in death by his wife of 36 years, Lois Ruth (Buchholtz) Stone in 1993. He is survived by his current wife, Yvonne (Bonnie) Habel Stone; daughter Kathryn Stone Marshall (children, Nate and Will Marshall); daughter, Anne Wade Stone (children Hannah Rose and Ben Wanless); son William Stone (wife, Anne Elizabeth Lawton Stone; children, Dr. Lois Elizabeth Stone [Ben Leverette-Jaques] and Robert Stone [Elizabeth Baker]). Dr. Stone was a retired Presbyterian minister. He graduated from Florida State University in 1957, received his M.Div at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA in 1960 and his D.Div from Columbia Seminary in Atlanta, GA. Throughout his ministry, he served congregations in Georgia, Florida and Alabama. In Alabama he served during the civil rights era where he also led an interfaith council dedicated to peaceful integration and community harmony. He continued his focus on civil justice and community engagement by working with congregations on issues such as prison reform, immigration and equal rights. He and Lois created a family home in Montreat, NC by purchasing a dilapidated house. When Lois first saw what they bought, she said shockingly, “our life savings!” But after many years of hard work by the entire family, the home called Stonemount was fully restored and became the family destination for summers, holidays and periods of renewal throughout the years. After his wife Lois died, he took several positions as interim minister and later retired to Asheville, NC. His love of music lead to his role on the Asheville Symphony Guild where he met Bonnie. After working together to support the symphony, and many concerts later, they were married and have enjoyed a happy retirement in Asheville. In retirement, Maurice pursued his love of trains as an avid model railroad builder. His layout encompassed three rooms in his basement that traced the Florida route of the Atlantic Coast Line from Copeland to Jacksonville. Maurice meticulously replicated the actual street layouts, buildings and waterways of towns and rivers across the state. He was a member of the Apple Valley Model Railroad Club and loved bringing his grandchildren to Hendersonville to play with the trains. Family requests that in lieu of flowers donations can be made to: Montreat Fund www.Montreat.org/givenow. Asheville Symphony Guild www.Ashevillesymphonyguild.org/donate.

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Reverend Maurice Stone

January 8, 1935 - March 14, 2025