Dennis Clair Stone

Dennis Clair Stone, born December 29, 1938, in Portland, OR to Audray and Delvina (Hutto) Stone, died January 10, 2023, in Beavercreek, OR. He lived in Portland through middle school when his family moved to Colton. On January 10, 1959, he married Lani Dean, and they had three children: Darrel, Rene, and Shauna. After Lani died on September 6, 1988, in Oregon City, OR, he married Debra Eldred and became stepfather, foster and adoptive father, and legal guardian to over thirty children. He led 4-H horse groups and coached hundreds of boys and girls in soccer and other youth sports.
Dennis was an electrician by trade. He estimated and managed electrical construction on many of Portland's commercial and industrial buildings and ran large electrical projects on dams, paper mills, and water treatment facilities. He was a proud member of IBEW Local #48 for 63 years.
He was a funny, loyal, hardworking man whose integrity in large and small ways epitomized a gentleman. Tennis was his passion and he played 2-3 times per week for over forty years. He and his first wife trained show horses and rode in competitive trail rides. He hiked and climbed with the Mazama Mountaineering Club, summitting Mount St. Helens and Mount Hood. He loved watching football, women's soccer, mixed martial arts, and tennis.
He was a man of few words and long friendships, many spanning his entire life. He lived by the 12 principles of a Boy Scout: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. He enjoyed the beauty and challenge of two consecutive thirty-year marriages because he understood love as an act of enduring commitment.
Dennis was preceded in death by his parents, brother Ray, first wife Lani, daughter Shauna and son Darrel. He is survived his wife Deb, children Rene, Brady, David, Daniel, Kenneth, Rose, Nissa, Dustin, Alyssa, and Jon, and fifteen great-grandchildren. His life was enriched by friends from Colton High School, Clackamas River Racquet Club, and members of the honorary Snodgrass family group.
A celebration of life will be held on Jan. 22, 2023, from 1-3pm at Oregon City Golf Course, 20124 Beavercreek Rd, Oregon City, OR 97045. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Oregon City High School Tennis Team, 19761 S Beavercreek Rd, Oregon City, OR 97045.