Bill Stone died on Monday, May 9, 2022.
He was the son of Orville J. Stone Sr. and Elizabeth Balint Stone. He was born February 7, 1942 in Ottawa, Illinois. He had two brothers, Orville J. Stone Jr. MD (deceased) and Allen Stone of Ottawa, Illinois.
He was blessed by his marriage to Sharon L. Kolb at St. Anthony’s Church in Streator, Illinois, on February 23, 1963. Sharon is the daughter of Bernard and Mary Kolb of Streator. Sharon and he remained best friends and loving partners until his death.
He is survived by two children, Wm. Michael Stone Jr. and his wife Jane of Enfield, Connecticut, and Mary Bernadette Stone of Massachusetts, and two grandchildren, Joseph Perullo of Philadelphia, and Anastasia March and her husband Tom of Raymond, New Hampshire. He is also survived by his brother-in-law Carl Kolb and his wife Doreen of Arizona.
Bill started his career as a garbage man at the age of 12 and finished it as president and CEO of Temptronic Corporation, a high-tech firm in the Boston area in 2001. He held 14 U.S. and international patents. He served a four-year Tool and Die apprenticeship with Caterpillar Tractor and held degrees in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. He was an adjunct professor in mechanical engineering at Northern Illinois University and had training in executive management and, later in his career, specialized in business turnarounds.
After retirement he turned his interest to capturing his family’s history and has written two books which are considered to be the most accurate and comprehensive histories of the Stones published. He also enjoyed fishing, metal and wood working as hobbies. Most of all he enjoyed his life with his wife Sharon, their breakfasts out and rides on the back roads of the Berkshires.
There will be a memorial service at the convenience of the family at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s memory may be made to either NIU Undergraduate School of Engineering or St. Ann’s Church Charitable Fund, both in care of Roche Funeral Home, 120 Main Street, Lenox, MA 01240.
To share memories and stories, please visit the Roche Funeral Home website.
