Steve Stone
Steve Stone passed away peacefully after a lengthy battle with ALS on April 4 at the age of 59. He was born to Bill and Jo Ann Stone on Nov. 6, 1955, in Oklahoma. They moved to Gunnison when he was 4 years old. In 1974, Steve married Dee Ann Stone (Randall) and raisedtheir three daughters, Becky, Aeron and Andrea in the Gunnison Valley. Steve andDee Ann would have celebrated 41 years of marriage at the end of April. Steve attended Gunnison High School where he played football, basketball and baseball. On Sept. 11, 1971, Steve was with his JV football team when the bus they were on tragically went off of Monarch Pass. In 1995, many of the survivors, classmates and community members began the 1971GHS Memorial Foundation to raise awareness of bus safety and created a scholarship program. Steve served as president of the foundation for over 10 years and continued to serve as its secretary until he passed away. Steve’s love of sports continued on after high school when he began of f i c iating high school basketball. Steve’s career as an official quickly extended to include football and baseball. He successfully officiated for over 25 years in junior high, high school and college sports. Within the Delta/Montrose Officials Association, Steve held every office. Steve became president of the Colorado State Basketbal l Of f icials’ Association in 1998, where he served the State of Colorado for two years. He was inducted into the Colorado State Basketball Officials’ Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Colorado State Football Officials’ Hall of Fame in 2015. Steve also ran a successful plumbing business with his dad. Stone Plumbing & Heating operated in the unnison Valley for nearly 38 years before his dad retired and Steve had to stop working due to ALS. Steve was an avid outdoorsman, and his passion took him to multiple states and two different countries to hunt andfish. He spent every chance he had on his boat with a fishing pole in hand, in the trees hunting elk and deer, or in a field hunting birds. Later in is life, Steve raised and trained a chocolate lab, and the two of them hunted side by side for over eight years. Even as Steve’s ALS progressed, the dog remained his loyal companion, never leaving his side. Steve is survived by his wife Dee Ann; his daughters Becky (Ron) Moore, Aeron (Travis) White, and Andrea Stone; his grandchildren Cody,Anna, Peyton, Eli and Zeke; his parents Bill and Jo Ann Stone; brother Jesse (Jeannie) Stone; and sister Pam (David) Baysinger; along with numerous nephews, nieces, and extended family. Steve requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the 1971 GHS Football Memorial Foundation at P.O. ox 482, Gunnison, CO 81230. A celebration of Steve’s life will take place on June 13 at he Legion Park Pavilion in Gunnison beginning at 10 a.m.
