Funeral services for George Stone, 101, were held Monday, June 1, 2020 at First Baptist Church in Purcell. Interment was at the Byars Cemetery under the direction of the Wilson-Little Funeral Home in Purcell.
George William Stone was born April 17, 1919 and grew up on the family farm in Byars, Okla. He passed away on May 26, 2020 in Purcell, Okla. He was the sixth of eight children born to William A. and Martha (Jones) Stone. He graduated from Byars High School in 1937 and Oklahoma Baptist University in 1948.
He married his teenage sweetheart, Maskell L. Weed, in 1937 and they were married for 74 years before her death in 2011. Four sons were born to this marriage.
Soon after they married, George and Max, as she was known, moved to Oklahoma City to seek work. He worked various jobs before being called to preach in the Baptist Church. He was ordained to the ministry at Kentucky Avenue Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. He served as mission pastor to what later became Bethel Baptist Church. He also served as pastor as First Baptist Church in Mustang, First Baptist Church in Bethany, First Baptist Church in Keyes (in the Oklahoma panhandle) and at University Heights Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. He was forced to leave the full-time ministry due to throat complications.
He later went to work for Oklahoma Farmers Union (OFU), serving in different capacities until he was elected President of that organization in 1956. He served in that position until his election as President of National Farmers Union in 1980. During his time in these positions he traveled the world, meeting with national and international leaders representing the family farmer. George also met every President from Truman to George W. Bush.
While working for OFU the Stone family lived in South Oklahoma City before moving to Choctaw, Okla., in 1966. While in Choctaw he served on the City Counsel and as Mayor. During this time he was instrumental in building the town’s shopping center and forming Choctaw State Bank. He served as Chairman of the bank from 1974 to 1986.
On his retirement in 1984 he returned to his roots with the purchase of a working farm in Stratford, Okla., just a few miles from where he grew up. In addition to the normal farm crops he ran a cow-calf operation and raised peaches. After 10 years of farming George and Max “moved to town” with the purchase of a house in Purcell. Although recognized by state, national and international leaders, George knew that the most outstanding and most cherished award was that Given by God when he sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be the Savior of his soul and grant eternal life.
George was preceded in death by his wife, Max; his parents, William and Martha Stone; five sisters, Maud, Esther, Pauline, Lucille and Leveta; two brothers, Delmer and Dale; and two grandsons, Michael and Andrew.
He is survived by four sons, George W. Jr. (Bill) Stone and wife, Nancy, of Purcell, Okla., Chester Stone and wife Susan of Yukon, Okla., David Stone and wife, Elizabeth, of Enid, Okla., and Richard (Rick) Stone and wife, Jimye, of Oklahoma City, Okla.; eight grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Online condolences may be made at wilsonlittle.com.
