Jon Anne Stone's Obituary
Jon Anne Stone, 94, of Dallas, Texas died April 12th, 2021, in Dallas. She was born April 9th, 1927, in Rotan, Texas, to John Morgan Jackson and Elsie Blanche (Jack) Mansker.
She is survived by two sons, Craig Skyler Stone of Dallas, Texas, and Jon Sandford Stone of Santa Clarita, California. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Sharla Anne Cairns.
At age 4½, Anne started violin lessons with a family friend whom she adored, so she wanted to play violin like her. Anne performed in her first recital at age 6 playing Beethoven’s Minuet in G. At age 8 she started playing in church every Sunday and did so until high school graduation. Between the ages of 6 and 10, she played her violin with her mother’s best friend, who was a pianist, for every party, shower, banquet and program in Rotan. Anne began piano lessons at age 9, and later played the cornet in the high school band.
Anne was valedictorian of her 7th grade in junior high, and played the lead in their Christmas play. She was a senior in high school at age 15, when she played the lead in the high school class play and was selected Class Favorite her senior year, and graduated as valedictorian. She was barely 16 in 1943 when she entered Baylor University in Waco, Texas, on scholarship to major in Music Education and Violin.
She spent four years at Baylor, the happiest four years of her life, acquiring a Bachelor of Music degree. During those years, she continued her piano study and also studied voice. She sang in the women’s choir Rhapsody in White, played trombone in the Baylor Golden Wave Band -- the only girl in an all-boys section -- and played viola in the Baylor Symphony Orchestra. She graduated before her 20th birthday. She was then offered a graduate scholarship at Baylor, so she continued her studies there toward a Master’s Degree, majoring in Conducting.
While receiving her Master’s Degree by the Baylor president Dr. W.R. White, he made the statement, “I am especially delighted to present this honor to you.” One professor who rated her thesis said, “This is the best thesis I have ever read.”
She has since established the Jon Anne Jackson violin scholarship at Baylor in memory of her violin professor, Lino Bartoli. The fund continues to help Baylor violin students to this day.
Upon graduating Baylor she was offered a position in the Amarillo Public Schools to begin a string program, so she immediately went there to expand and assist the formation of their all-school program. She was publicized in the Amarillo paper as the first full-time string teacher in the city and as the new first violinist in the Amarillo Symphony. She began string classes in three elementary schools and one junior high, rushing from school to school on the bus carrying her violin and music.
The following summer, she attended Interlochen Music Camp in Michigan to continue violin study, making wonderful, lifetime friends from all parts of the country.
During her second year of teaching, Anne married Craig H. Stone and they eventually had three children. Over the ensuing years, Anne taught private music lessons, substituted in the schools, played in the Amarillo Symphony and for programs all over Amarillo and the Panhandle, taught and played in her church -- First Baptist Church of Amarillo -- led cub scout troops, started all three of her children on piano, did temporary office work, sewed, put in lawns and painted her house in and out, made drapes and matching clothes for herself and her daughter, as well as suits for her young boys, built a rocking duck toy box and playhouse for her daughter, upholstered chairs, made end tables and refinished furniture.
Although she went through many struggles, she continued to work for different enterprises obtaining much experience in various areas, continued study in many different areas, acquiring two additional teaching certificates in Elementary Education & Special Education in addition to her All-Levels music certificate and a Legal Assistant Certificate. She was very proud of her sons who were honor students and her beautiful, blonde, curly-haired daughter, all of whom she loved very much.
In 1984, having become a single mother, Anne and her daughter moved to Dallas, where her sons where employed. She worked as a legal assistant for several different firms, in addition to other companies, finally returning to teaching violin, viola and piano lessons in many different schools and in her own studio on Saturdays. She first played with the Garland Symphony for two years, then Mesquite Symphony for several years, and also joined the North Dallas Symphony which became the Allen Symphony, then the New Philharmonic Symphony of Irving.
Anne first joined Richardson Heights Baptist Church and played in their orchestra. The next year she joined Prestonwood Baptist Church where a Baylor friend was choir director, and played in their orchestra for many years. In 1992 she joined Park Cities Baptist Church where she played the piano and led the singing in her Sunday School class, joining the orchestra after it was formed. In 2008 she joined the orchestra at Richardson First Baptist Church.
The family requests that memorial gifts be made to the Jon Anne Jackson Endowed Scholarship Fund, Baylor University, One Bear Place #97050, Waco, TX 76798-7050. You may also make contributions online at baylor.edu/give. Click the "Featured" tab (the third in a row of three) and from the drop-down menu select "Jon Anne Jackson Endowed Scholarship Fund". Please note the gift is in memory of Jon Anne Jackson Stone. You may also click on this direct link:
https://bbis.baylor.edu/give?id=49837&f=440SCTM&scode=20E.00EMAIL
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