Mary Adelle Stone's Obituary
Oh, I have supped the surly bonds of Earth And danced the skies on laughter – silvered wings … Put out my hand and touched the face of God.” John Gillespie Magee, Jr. Mary Aspoas Watson Stone slipped the surly bonds of this Earth on Wednesday, January 15, surrounded bv her beloved husband, children and grandchildren. She was born May 29, 1938 in Kansas City, Missouri. and was raised by adoptive parents. Elita and Henry Aspoas, in Joplin, Missouri. After graduating from High School there in 1955, she went on to attend the University of Kansas at Lawrence and then to the renowned Katherine Gibbs School in New York. Her first job, with Scripps Howard Newspapers, brought her to Dallas, and in 1963 she married John R. Watson here. Together they built and expanded the John Watson Landscape Illumination company into an entity of lighting design projects worldwide. It was the first enterprise of its kind to do artistic outdoor lighting in the manner of French “Son et Lumiere’ shows of the early 1950s. After Mr. Watson’s death in 2005, she became Chairman of the Board and Chief Financial Officer of the company, her business proficiency and acumen finely honed. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Mrs. Watson was most involved in civic and charitable endeavors. She was on the board of The Episcopal School of Dallas and a major fundraiser for The June Shelton School and The Winston School. She also served on the boards of the American Heart Association, Center for Human Nutrition, UTSW Medical Transplant Services, and Texas Ballet Theatre. She also served as the 1980 Chair of the DMA Beaux Arts Ball. She was a member of The Crystal Charity Ball, Dallas Theater Center, Dallas Civic Opera, TACA Dallas, Council of World Affairs, Dallas Institute of Humanities, and The Sweetheart Ball. Mrs. Watson’s club memberships included Brook Hollow Golf Club, Heritage Club, Dallas Dinner Dance Club, Argyle Club (San Antonio), and the S0S Investment Club. In 2011, a grand change came into her life when she married Wallace D. Stone on July 22nd. Theirs was an idyllic pairing. She a widow, he a widower, their lives melded together after a blind date arranged by friends. A new life for both and a happy time in the autumn of their lives, they traveled, made memories, and delighted their families and friends with their new-found love. But, of all her activities and interests, Mary Watson Stone was most devoted to people. No one ever loved as much or was loved as much as was she. Her friends were legion and came from all walks of life. If anyone was ever in need of anything, she was there to help. She cared for people in the double sense of the word. Generous, kind, thoughtful and giving, she left an indelible mark on all she knew- a true angel among us. Little wonder that her favorite song was “People Who need People”. In her life, there were bouts with serious illness. She shouldered them all with great courage and a sense of the invincible. An inspiration to all, she awed her family and friends with her enormous mental strength and profound faith In her Creator. Mrs. Watson Stone is survived by her husband Wallace Stone, her son Shannon Watson and Kelly Jane Watson and their children, Madison and Henry; her daughter Suzie Watson and her children, Andrew and Maggie. She is also survived by four more sons: Christopher Stone (Susan) and child Jacqueline; Gregory Stone (Sandy) and children Olivia, Diana, Mya and Edward; David Stone (Jennifer] and children Jake, Sarah, Zach, Faith and Sophia; and Brian Stone (Trish) and children Connor and Peyton. She is also survived by long time companion, Patsy Brown and personal assistant, Brenda Allen. Mary’s family will receive friends from 5:00-8:00 pm on Tuesday, January 20, 2015 at Restland Funeral Home. The Memorial Service for Mary will take place at 11:00 am on Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at Lovers Lane Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a consideration of a donation to either the John R Watson and Mary A Watson Endowment Fund for Cancer Research, or the Mary W. Stone and Wallace O. Stone Laboratory Fund for Leukemia Research under Dr. Robert Collins at U. T, Southwestern, in care of the Southwestern Medical Foundation, 3963 Maple Avenue, Suite 100, Dallas, Texas 75219. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 13005 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75243
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