Joseph Benjamin Stone

Stone, Joseph Benjamin Born: April 19, 1914 Carstairs, Canada Died: October 5, 2001 Bellingham, Washington.
While still an infant, his family moved to Southern California. After high school he started boxing at Jeffries Barn in Los Angeles, and caught the eye of famous fight manager George Blake, for whom he started boxing professionally, winning the state amateur lightweight boxing championship. During World War II, as an officer in the US Navy, he was instrumental in developing an innovative athletic program for the Navy in San Diego, CA. From 1942-1955 he served as a boxing referee and judge in California, and officiated in major bouts, including Art Aragon vs. Chuck Davey. He refereed over 5,000 fights and judged close to 2,000. He was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994, honoring his years as an esteemed referee. Salutatorian of his graduating class at Loyola University of Southern California, he began teaching English at Loyola University in the early 1940's. For more than 40 years, teaching English, Writing and the "Fight Game" were the loves of his life. After the War, he earned a Masters degree in English from the University of Southern California. In the 50's he was a writer for Universal and MGM Studios. In 1959 he received an Academy Award nomination for his screenplay, "Operation Petticoat". He also produced a documentary film, which he completed in 1973, on one of the most controversial bouts in history, the Jack Dempsey vs. Jess Willard heavyweight championship fight of 1919. In 1963, returning to Loyola Marymount University he taught English, Screen, Television and Creative Writing. As head of the Communication Arts Department, he retired in 1979. His retirement years were spent in the San Juan Islands of Washington State. Professor, boxer, screenwriter and poet - he was beloved by all that knew him. Survived by his widow Mary Anne, to whom he was married for 35 years; his children by prior marriage, Daniel Joseph of Vancouver, BC, Edward Anthony (Yuyun) of United Arab Emirates, Julie Therese of Los Angeles, CA, Neil Patrick of Bellingham, WA; his step children Steven Duncan Huxley (Hanna Marie Nohynek) of Helsinki, Finland, Anne Kern Huxley (David Meyer Kern) of Sausalito, Ca.; his grandchildren Sarah Patricia Lovely, Catherine Jane, Blake Stone Silberman, Zeno Leon; his step-grandchildren Aino Marie Huxley, Heather A. Kern; and his great-grandchild Jonathan Stone Carr. He was pre-deceased by his eldest child, Michael Blake. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to the Alzheimer's Association, 919 No. Michigan Ave., Suite 1100 Chicago, Illinois 60611.