Donald Stone

1932 - 2024

Donald Stone
06/21/1932 - 10/24/2024
Donald Whitney Stone, physician, photographer, and humanist, peacefully passed away at his residence in San Mateo at the age of 92. His daughters Lora and Linda Stone and longtime caregiver Ariel were with him.
Don was born in San Francisco to Ruth Wise and Walter Stone. He was raised by Miriam Levee who married Walter after Don's birth mother passed. Don was an avid photographer from an early age who had a darkroom in the family garage and took photos for his school newspaper. He later attended UC Berkeley then medical school at UCSF. At Berkeley he met Elise Carol Abrahams, who he married on September 4, 1955.
During Don's residency he was drafted into the Navy and served as a medical officer in San Diego. Shortly thereafter he spent a year at the Mayo Clinic where he learned electroencephalography (EEG). He brought this diagnostic tool to the San Mateo neurology practice he joined in 1965. Ten years later he became medical director of the Rehabilitation Center at Mills Hospital, helping stroke and accident victims relearn basic skills for living. In both practices he helped many people recover and/or manage difficult illnesses and disabilities.
In 1991, Don retired from medicine, focusing on photography and travel with Elise. The two of them visited many countries in their almost 60 years together. After Elise died in 2015, Don moved to the Peninsula Regent, recently sharing time with companion Angela Perry. In addition to Don's two daughters, he is survived by grandson Sam Calvert. Don was sincerely loved and appreciated by family, friends, patients, colleagues, and others who he met. He will be missed.