DON STONE

1929 - 2015

STONE, Don, N.A. 85, formerly of Rockport, MA, internationally known modern impressionist painter Don Stone died peacefully at Exeter Hospital on Thursday, March 12, 2015, after a brief illness. He was surrounded by his family, and maintained his humor and wit to the very end. He was born March 27, 1929, in Council Bluffs, IA, to Hester Bell and Arthur Dimick Stone. After graduating from Gloucester High School and Vesper George School Of Art, he was drafted into the Navy, where he served as a Gunnery Yeoman on a destroyer. While there, he painted portraits of the ship's officers. His painting of the ship in battle hung in the officer's quarters. After the Navy, he returned to teach at Vesper George and the New England School of Art, and he was a commercial artist and cartoonist at the Boston Post and the Lowell Sun. In the early 1950s, he realized that he wanted to be a fine artist. In 1954, he was invited by fellow artist Paul Strisik to go on a painting trip to Monhegan Island, ME. He fell in love with the island and spent the rest of his life painting this beautiful place and the people who lived there. For 40 years he conducted painting workshops on Monhegan, which were enormously popular because of his remarkable knowledge of painting and his unique sense of humor. He considered Monhegan his true home. Don was elected to full membership in the National Academy of Design, American Watercolor Society (Dolphin Fellow), American Society of Marine Artists (Fellow), Salmagundi Club (Honorary Member), and New England Watercolor Society (Lifetime Honorary Member). In addition, he was a member of the Guild of Boston Artists, Allied Artists of America, Hudson Valley Art Association, Rockport Art Association (Lifetime Member), North Shore Art Association and others. His work was exhibited in various public museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Portland (Maine) Museum of Art and Cape Ann Museum. In addition to his love of art, Don had a lifelong love of music. He was a well-known banjo player and performed with the Gloucester group Loblolly Five. He also played fiddle and especially mandolin. He was an avid sports fan who played hockey and golf in his earlier years and later in life enjoyed watching the Bruins and professional golf. Don is survived by his beloved wife Sarah; children Sandra Akers, Pamela Stone and her husband Steve Congdon, Phil Stone and wife Annie, and Caleb Stone and his partner Lis Costa; step-daughters Elizabeth Guffey and Katherine Guffey and her husband Jim Sauve; grandchildren Michael & Marabah Akers, Trevor, Natalie and Carter Stone, Nicholas and Devin Congdon, Jacob and Isaac Stone, and Bethany Sauve; and his cat, Norton. Memorial gatherings will be held later this year at locations and on dates to be determined. Brewitt Funeral Home, 14 Pine St., Exeter, NH is assisting the family with the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Cape Ann Animal Aid, 4 Paws Lane, Gloucester, MA 01930 or to The Monhegan Museum, 1 Lighthouse Hill, Monhegan, ME 04852. For more information, please visit:

www.brewittfuneralhome.com