David Max Stone

1932 - 2021

Be kind, everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. (Plato)Question everything. We are only limited by imagination. (Einstein)David Max Stone
passed away peacefully at his Balboa Island home on March 10, 2021 at the age of 88, with his loving daughter Susan and caregivers Paulina and John by his side. David was born in Pasadena, California on August 25, 1932 to Elsie Pettitt Stone and John Henry Stone. David lived a long and full life. He lived his early years in Pasadena, frequently visiting the Balboa Peninsula, moving there at the age of twelve. He graduated from Newport Harbor High School in 1950. Following high school, David was drafted into the the Army during the Korean War and did basic training at Fort Ord near Monterey. He married JoAnn Israelson on February 4,1955, and while attending Cal State University Long Beach, David worked nights to support he and JoAnn as a licensed captain onboard the Balboa Island ferry. Soon, David and JoAnn started their family. Together they welcomed with love their three children: Jeffery Stone (Stacy), Susan Burt (Ed), and Sandra Larkin.After graduating college, David started his long and successful real estate career initially as a real estate appraiser for the OC Department of Right-of-Way. He then worked as a real estate lender for Victoria Savings and Loan in Riverside, California, leading to a partnership in the development of his first apartment building in 1967. Along with two partners, David co-founded Income Property Services in Orange County, the predecessor company of Western National Properties, which he co-founded in 1981. WNP grew to be one of the largest apartment development and management companies in the nation.His passion for boating lead to many wonderful years of day sailing and racing in regattas. With his son Jeff by his side, David had many successes on the family's Ranger 33 Puff, Islander 30 Flying Colors, and custom Britt Chance Design Ton Eclipse. Together with his crew, David won the Hugh Angleman series five consecutive years, the Humphrey Bogart series, and many other regattas. Over the years, David enjoyed his friendships and the comradery of yachting at Newport Harbor Yacht Club. David continued his passion for boating by building two power boats, Coaster and Crosser, later acquiring Solaia in 2007. David married Sandra Howarth in 2004. Together they shared many happy years traveling the world on Crosser and Solaia, visiting more than fifty-five countries on four continents and logging more that 130,000 miles at sea, the equivalent of five times around the earth.Lovingly known as Grandpa Max, David was blessed with seven grandsons: Clayton Stone (Julie), James Bohan, Bradley Stone, Joseph Bohan, Gregory Stone (Jaimee), Scott Stone, and Jack Larkin, along with six great grandchildren: Charlotte, Elizabeth, Theodore, Grayson, Margaret, and Dallas Stone.Throughout his business career and world travels, David had the opportunity to meet many interesting people. In his later years, he enjoyed sharing his travels with family and friends. David will be remembered for his great sense of humor, his generosity, his wisdom, and his skillfulness at defeating problems with quiet confidence.He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him. Smooth sailing Dave, Dad, Grandpa Max!