Mary Ida Stone, age 88, of Mount Vernon, Texas, passed away on Sunday, July 14, 2024, in Tyler, Texas in the presence of her loving family.
Mary Ida was born December 23, 1935, in Winnsboro, Texas, to Gordon and Sybil (Buchanan) Lloyd.
She was a Winnsboro Red Raider Raiderette and a graduate of Winnsboro High School. After high school and time spent living in the Highland Park area, she was introduced to Jimmie Jack Stone by friends, and they quickly fell in love. After their marriage, they settled in Mount Vernon where they raised their two sons, Mike and Lloyd.
Once her sons began attending school, Mary Ida put her organizational skills, attention to detail, head for numbers and perfect copperplate penmanship to work. She worked for First United Methodist Church as a secretary and also cared for children in the nursery during services. She served as a secretary for local doctors, Dr. Tom and Dr. White, then as an executive assistant for Jordan Health Services until her retirement in 2015 at the age of 80. Mary Ida created strong connections with the people she worked with, and their families considered her a part of their own family as well.
While she still harbored affection for the Red Raiders, Mary Ida became a loyal Tiger fan and cheered on Mount Vernon sports teams for many years, including while her sons represented the school as athletes in various sports. She was a lifelong sports enthusiast and kept close tabs on the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers, and Dallas Mavericks. She and Jimmie Jack often took their sons to the Dallas Cowboys games to cheer on a long-time family friend, Don Meredith.
As their grandchildren grew up, Mary Ida and Jimmie Jack were their biggest fans, cheering them on, whether they were playing sports, cheerleading, or participating in pageants and theater performances.
With her winning smile and feisty personality, Mary Ida had a knack for catching attention in any crowd. Even celebrities were drawn to her, and she’d return from her travels with stories of making friends with Tobey Maguire or Robin Roberts. She also used her charisma and charm in service of the local community, whether ushering or working at the bazaar at First United Methodist Church where she and Jimmie Jack were long-time members, hosting the Parade of Homes, or serving as an ambassador for the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce.
She was an exceptionally good cook and was well-known for her buttermilk and pecan pies, and for making the world’s best chicken fried steak and gravy. She and Jimmie Jack would often host the entire family, serving steak or fresh-caught catfish dinners.
Making Christmas candy with her grandchildren was a beloved family tradition, and no one could replicate her divinity or peanut patties. Christmas was her favorite holiday and she loved having a beautifully decorated home to welcome friends and family during the annual Christmas Eve family gathering and any other time there was an opportunity to gather for food, family time, and a game of Scrabble or 42.
Throughout her life, she was energetic and active. Neighbors would see her walking miles daily with Jimmie Jack or with her sister Karon. She also put her energy to work keeping a clean house and an even cleaner garage – although notably frugal, she would pay her sons Mike and Lloyd a nickel to sweep it out and keep it tidy. During one of her trips to California, Jimmie Jack had carpet installed in the garage to help manage the dirt, and they continued to do that in each of their subsequent homes.
Mary Ida was preceded in death by her husband, Jimmie Jack Stone; her daughter, Lou Alice Stone; her parents, Gordon and Sybil Lloyd; and her brother, Don Lloyd.
Survivors include her sons and their spouses, Mike and Teresa Stone (Mt. Vernon), and Lloyd and Tina Stone (Mt. Vernon); grandchildren Dusty Stone (Plano), J.D. Stone (Fairview), Natalie Tate (Alamo Heights), Emily (Collin) May (Dallas), Abigail Stone (Mt. Vernon) and Elizabeth Stone (Flower Mound); great grandchildren Noelle Tate, Claire Tate and Grace May; sister Karon (Bill) Rhoades (Mt. Vernon) and sister Kathy Hankins (Canaan, NH) as well as numerous and well-loved nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family members.
Visitation will be Friday, July 19, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Sam B. Harvey Funeral Home. Funeral services will be Saturday, July 20, 2024 at 10 a.m. at Sam B. Harvey Funeral Home with the Rev. Dan Hoke officiating. Pallbearers will be Dusty Stone, J.D. Stone, John Pezzini, Blake Burleson, Collin May and Don Huffstetler.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the First United Methodist Church of Mount Vernon – P.O. Box 659 – Mount Vernon, TX 75457 or the Alzheimer’s Association – http://www.alzalliance.org/.
Services entrusted to Sam B. Harvey Funeral Home.
