Lorraine Stone

STONE

Lorraine O'Brien



Lorraine O'Brien Stone died on Saturday, September 28, 2013, at the Goerlich Center on the campus of Flower Hospital.

Mrs. Stone was the widow of Toledo artist Ruskin B. Stone, whose portraits and landscapes hang in public buildings and private homes throughout the United States. She was an ardent fan of his work and a constant and caring source of encouragement and inspiration to him.

Mrs. Stone was born on September 4, 1920, in Hudson, Wisconsin, to John T. O'Brien and Mayme Nelson O'Brien. She was named Lorraine Frances in honor of Lorraine, France, a town that greatly impressed her father when he was stationed in Europe with the U.S. Army during World War I.

After her graduation from Harding High School in St. Paul, Minnesota, Mrs. Stone attended Hamlin University, also in St. Paul.

In 1942, she was chosen queen of the St. Paul Winter Sports Carnival. Her reign was supposed to last one year. However, the annual sports event was suspended during World War II, and Mrs. Stone remained in her position as St. Paul's queen and official hostess "until," according to the St. Paul Dispatch-Pioneer Press, "peace returns to the world."

As the city's queen and official hostess, Mrs. Stone was featured in photographs that appeared in the rotogravure section of the St. Paul Sunday Pioneer Press as well as in the St. Paul Dispatch.

When servicemen in this country and overseas received the St. Paul newspapers and saw the photographs, they deluged the publications' offices with requests for copies of the pictures.

"St. Paul's popular queen has become St. Paul's popular pin-up girl!" a press release announced.

The St. Paul newspapers were "pleased to meet the demand" and provided hundreds of servicemen with pictures of "Queen Lorraine," dressed in a striped suit, saucy, flowered hat, and high heels, wishing her admirers "lots of luck."

In St. Paul, Mrs. Stone became associated with Hubert White, Inc., a men's fine furnishings store. Later, after she moved to Atlanta, Georgia, she became affiliated with a men's furnishings store owned by John Jarrell, a friend of Hubert White.

When she arrived in Toledo, Mrs. Stone revived her interest in winter sports that had begun when she was a child growing up in Wisconsin and Minnesota. She regularly ice skated with groups of other enthusiasts at the Toledo Sports Arena and, later, at the Bowling Green State University ice rink.

She married Rus Stone in 1955, and they lived in Maumee for a number of years before moving to Toledo. They spent numerous summers in Rockport, Massachusetts, where Mr. Stone created portraits, landscapes, and seascapes, and many winters in Hillsboro Beach, Florida, where he also painted and sketched.

Mrs. Stone was preceded in death by her husband in 2003 and, earlier, by her parents and brother, Stephen. She is survived by her two step-sons, Spencer D. Stone, and his wife, Prudy, and Douglas A. Stone, and his wife, Karen; by six step-grandchildren, Spencer D. Stone, Jr., and his wife, Christy, George W. Stone of Singapore, Robin H. Stone, Stephen S. Stone, Michael D. Stone, and Anne Stone Browning, and her husband, Eric, of Dublin, Ohio, and by seven step-great-grandchildren.

No visitation will be held, and memorial services will be private. The family suggests that those wishing to make contributions in memory of Mrs. Stone might consider the Toledo Museum of Art, the Goerlich Center, or a charity of their choice.

Arrangements are being handled by the Walker Funeral Home, 5155 Sylvania Ave., west of Corey Road.

The family is very grateful to the devoted and compassionate nurses and staff members who provided extraordinary care for Mrs. Stone at the Goerlich Center.