Obituary: Gracie M. Stone

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Gracie M. Stone

AUBURN, Maine — Gracie M. Stone, 93, of Auburn, passed away on Sunday, Jan. 8 at Clover Manor Nursing Home. She was born in Gorham, N.H. on March 20, 1923, the daughter of Theodore E. and Evie L. O’Hara Hall.

She graduated from Edward Little High School in 1942. She earned very high ranks in high school but because her family did not have the means to send her to college an anonymous benefactor offered to pay Gracie’s tuition to any school in Maine if she paid for her books and board. Gracie chose Bates College and graduated in 1945 with a BS in chemistry. She married John W. Stone on Oct. 6, 1945. She worked for Uniroyal Chemical Co. for 40 years, from 1945 to 1985, where she progressed from work at the bench to working in the registration group, overseeing work and reports to register the agricultural chemicals at the EPA in Washington and supplied information worldwide to register chemicals off-shore. She also represented Uniroyal before the UN Code meeting of FAO (Food & Agriculture Org.) and WHO (World Health Org.).

She and John lived in the Naugatuck and Cheshire, Conn., area for 50 years before returning to Maine in 1995. She was a member of the American Chemical Society for 30 years, the American Assn. of University Women of Naugatuck for 35 years, holding several positions including president. She was a member of the Naugatuck Women’s Club and a board member of the Naugatuck chapter of the American Red Cross. She was a 50-year member of the Naugatuck Congregational Church where she served on many committees including Women’s Fellowship chairman. Since moving back to Maine she was a member of the United Methodist Church of Auburn and the Women’s Hospital Assn. at CMMC.

She enjoyed making sweaters, bibs and socks for veterans’ hospital patients and contributed yearly to the Christmas fairs at church. At age 83, she still enjoyed sewing, knitting, reading and playing cards.

She is survived by her sisters, Nancy A. Greer and husband, Edward, of Cape Elizabeth and Shirley J. Moyse of West Paris; her brother, Landon T. Hall and wife, Sandra, of Newport, N.C.; her sister-in-law, Nohemi Hall of Sierville, Tenn.; many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews. She was predeceased by her husband on Jan. 24, 2001; two sisters, Hazel Ruth Hall in 1936 and Doris A. Stevens; her brother, Carl E. Hall; her brother-in-law, Walter Moyse; nephews, Theodore and Timothy; and nieces Laura Beth, Susan and Carol.

The family wishes to thank Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice and the staff at Clover Manor, especially Margaret and Mona Lisa.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 1 p.m. at Chandler Funeral Homes & Cremation Service, 26 W. Dwinal St, Mechanic Falls. Family and friends may attend visitation on Friday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be in the spring at Mt. Auburn Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations in her memory may be made to the Stone Scholarship at the United Methodist Church on Park Street in Auburn.

Online condolences may be shared with her family at www.chandlerfunerals.com.