Dr. Robert E. Stone, Sr.

Dr. Robert E. Stone, Sr. died January 28, 2005.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Frances Blakeney Stone and a son, Robert E. Stone, Jr.  He is survived by his daughters, Frances Stone of Atlanta & Barbara Lee Stone of Overland Park, KS; granddaughters, Heather Louise Stone & Laura Blakeney Stone; several nieces & nephews. Born in Hampton County, SC, January 19, 1904, Robert Edwards Stone was the son of John Franklin Stone and Jessie Blocker Stone.  The family business - Stone and Patrick Sawmill operation - provided early opportunities to develop his strong work ethic.  His love for horses and dogs grew out of his childhood experiences where these were important members of the family and the business.   Bob attended the local schools through age 16.  After moving to NC, he graduated from Greensboro High School.  Attending the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill), he received his bachelor's degree and completed the first two years of medical school there.  He received his M.D. degree in Internal Medicine, from Harvard University Medical School in 1934.  Though he worked to support himself through these years of study, he found time to enjoy some of his interests in hunting, fishing and sports - interests developed as a child in rural SC.  In the summers he worked in Atlantic City, NJ, which was thriving even during the depressed economic years.  Following graduation from Harvard, he was a medical resident at Case Western University in Cleveland, Ohio; at Duke University, Durham, NC; and at the University of Alabama Medical School in Birmingham.  Dr. Stone Returned to Chapel Hill, NC where he was on the medical staff of the UNC Student Health Clinic until joining the Medical Corp of the Army Air Corp, serving until the end of World War II.  In 1939 he was married to Frances Blakeney of Monroe, NC.  Their three children - Frances Blakeney Stone, Robert Edwards Stone, and Barbara Lee Stone were born in Birmingham.  There he became the medical director of the Spies Clinic located at the UAB Medical Center.  The Clinic specialized in clinical research in nutrition, metabolism and endochrinology.  They were involved in some of the early vitamin studies resulting in cures for chronic deficiencies.  The clinic's founder, Dr. Tom D. Spies, and Dr. Stone also had faculty appointments at the Medical School of Northwestern University in Chicago, and the clinic was moved there in 1963.  At that time Dr. Stone was appointed the first holder of the Spies Chair at Northwestern.  After his retirement, he continued to teach and work with medical students at Northwestern.  He moved to Atlanta eight years ago, living in the Emory area and occasionally attending medical seminars at Emory and CDC.  He had a lifelong passion for science, an interest in the current world, and a charm and wit enjoyed by all who knew him.  Funeral services will be held at 4 PM Monday, January 31, 2005 at the chapel of A. S. Turner & Sons.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to UNC-Chapel Hill College of Arts and Sciences or to Harvard Medical School for scholarships.  The family will receive friends from 3 to 4 PM Monday at A. S. Turner & Sons.