Dr. Gregory W. Stone

The director of LSU's Coastal Studies Institute, he died at 9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011. He was 53, a native of Belfast and resident of Baton Rouge. Visitation at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government St., on Monday, Feb. 21, from 10 a.m. until memorial service at noon, conducted by Betsy Irvine. He is survived by his wife, Ann F. Stone; son, Carter-Morgan Derek Stone; brothers, Ian Wade Stone and Alan Derek Stone; and sister, Janice Margaret Buchanan. He was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Derek Robert Stone, and Margaret Mary Cathleen McFadden Stone. Dr. Greg Stone was a very well respected member of the LSU School of the Coast and Environment faculty who served as Director of the Coastal Studies Institute, in addition to teaching and advising graduate students in the department of oceanography and coastal sciences. He graduated with a B.S. degree (Honors) from the University of Ulster (Ireland), a M.S. degree from the University of West Florida, and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland in 1990. After serving as a research associate and visiting professor at the University of West Florida, Dr. Stone accepted a position in the department of geography and anthropology at LSU. In 1997, he accepted a faculty position in the department of oceanography and coastal sciences and became a member of the Coastal Studies Institute (CSI). His interest in the oceanic processes that drive changes in coasts of different types made him a perfect fit for CSI and its 50-year history of similar research work. Dr. Stone quickly established himself as an internationally respected coastal scientist who produced cutting-edge research and attracted millions of dollars of research support to LSU. As part of his research, he and the CSI Field Support Group developed a series of offshore instrumented stations to monitor wind, waves, and currents that impact the Louisiana coast. These Wave-Current Information System (WAVCIS) stations produce data that may be accessed on the Internet and used by coastal scientists, industry, state agencies, sports fishermen, and others. This program, a product of Dr. Stone's vision, has received international recognition for its technical innovation and scientific value. In addition to being an outstanding researcher, Dr. Stone was an excellent teacher and advisor of graduate students. His classes provided students with a sound quantitative understanding of coastal change and he prepared his graduate students for life after LSU by assigning them significant research problems, supporting them through graduation, and providing knowledgeable supervision. Dr. Stone always projected a genuine sense of happiness and feeling of accomplishment when he talked about his students and they loved working for him in the educational environment he created. He was a valued colleague to his peers at LSU and around the world. He will be sincerely missed as an excellent coastal researcher and friend. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations may be made to LSU Foundation Coastal Studies Institute Unendowed Account. Checks should be payable to The LSU Foundation, in notes section indicate LSU School of Coast & Environment, Coastal Studies Institute. Address: LSU Foundation 3838 W. Lakeshore Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808. Donations may also be given online at www.lsufoundation.org/contribute.