HENRY SAWYER STONE

STONE, Henry Sawyer 97, of Dover, February 21, 1916 - May 15, 2013. A multi-faceted man: dedicated husband to Jean Richmond Stone, supportive father of Henry Jr., Jeannette Reynolds and Olivia Arnold. Naval officer, pilot and flight instructor in World War II. Unicycle rider and juggler. Innovative insurance executive rising to New England Department Head and then in 1972 CEO of Commercial Union. Wilderness traveler in Alaska supporting Jean photographing alpine plants and animals. Selectman of Dover, Massachusetts, Town activist, perennial speaker at Town Meeting. Engineering student, Harvard class of '38, draftsman and maker of useful objects in aluminum and Plexiglas and of wood furniture. Conservationist, contributing many acres of open land to be forever preserved. Lifelong ocean racing sailor and navigator, usually with his best friend Bunny Burnes. Board member in the business world, but most proud of work with schools; head of boards of Middlesex School in Concord and Walker School in Needham. Lover of music: Gilbert & Sullivan chorister in school, enthusiastic singer of hymns, Dover Church choir, recorder player and Boston Symphony attendee and supporter for 85 years. Sportsman: football at school, squash, wily tennis player, low handicap golfer. Skier including 60 meter jump at school, skiing honeymoon with Jean in 1940 at Mt. Tremblant, Montreal, and at Mad River Glen for 65 years. Builder of houses for his family: Dover 1948 International Style with brother-in-law Carl Richmond the architect, Mad River Glen self-designed log cabin and in Little Compton, R. I., designed with Cecil Wilde, architect. Strong sense of duty to his country: draft board member at time of the Vietnam War. A lover of speed: a used 1925 Stutz Bearcat his first car, 1,600 horsepower fighter planes in the War, down "ski it if you can" Mad River, pushing for speed in trans-Atlantic ocean races ("soft water") and ultimately, ice boat racing in New England, Canada, Finland and Russia in his 70s and 80s. 70 miles-an-hour on "hard water"! Autobiographer, writing 375 vivid pages at 80. The son of Katharine Brooke and of Senator Edward C. Stone. Sen. Stone was a man of intellect and accomplishment; a large presence in the lives of his son and three daughters, Caroline Ayers, Alice Trainer and Kitty White. Henry was a man of strong views he was ready to defend. A debater who did not tolerate un-examined opinions. A patriarch of the extended Stone family, the Richmond family, and of Bunny Burnes' 5 sons. Finally, he was a family man who took loving care of Jean, his 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. Henry is survived by daughter Jeannette Stone Reynolds, her husband Hadley Reynolds, their children Josh Barrett, Heather Sullivan, Hannah Reynolds, daughter Olivia Stone Arnold, husband Jerry Arnold and their son Christopher Isaacs and Henry Stone, Jr. his wife Nina Danforth and their children Janos Stone, Nicholas Stone, Daniel Gomez-Ibanez and Sara Gomez Ibanez. A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, June 14, 2013, at 11AM at The Dover Church, 17 Springdale Ave., Dover. In lieu of flowers please send contributions to Massachusetts Audubon's, Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, 280 Eliot St., Natick, MA 01760 (indicate Jean and Henry Stone Memorial Lecture Series on check. Thank you). To share a memory of Henry please visit www.eatonfuneralhomes.com Eaton Funeral Home 781-444-0201