MILL CREEK, WASH.
lder David Roger Stone, who served in the Second Quorum of the Seventy from 1999-2006, died on Oct. 4, at his home in Mill Creek, Washington. He was 78.
Elder Stone grew up in Argentina speaking English at home and Spanish at school. When his mother joined the Church in 1951 she decided to move to Provo, Utah, so that her children could attend Brigham Young University.
At the age of 18, David arrived at BYU and after a doctor asked him how long he had been investigating the Church, he replied, “two or three years.” That prompted the doctor to say, “If you don’t make decisions in time, time makes decisions for you.” Those words stuck with him and he decided to pray for an answer. Six weeks later he was baptized and he later served a mission in the Spanish AmericanMission (Ensign, May 1999).
Elder Stone spent the rest of his life serving in many capacities in the Church. He served in a bishopric, as stake Young Men president, stake Sunday School president, as a high councilor, in a stake presidency and as a Regional Representative. Prior to his call as a Seventy, Elder Stone served as president of the Dominican Republic Santo Domingo West Mission from 1996-1999.
Sustained to the Second Quorum of the Seventy on April 3, 1999, Elder Stone spent time as first counselor of the Mexico North Area from 1999-2000, first counselor in the South America West Area from 2000-2001, and President of the South America West Area from 2001-2003.
In 2003-2004 he served as the assistant executive director of the Family and Church History Department and as second counselor in the North America Northeast Area. He went on to serve as second counselor in the Philippines Area from 2004-2005. His last assignment as a Seventy was as President of the Australia Area from 2005-2006.
Elder Stone earned a bachelor’s degree from BYU in 1963, graduating in English and economics. During his professional career he worked as marketing manager for The Gillette Company in Argentina. That job sent his family around the world on different assignments, until he joined Black & Decker in 1986 where he worked until his retirement in 1994.
Elder Stone was born June 16, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Hubert J. Stone and Ethel R. Grant. He and his wife, Rosalie Erekson Stone, are the parents of six children. His funeral was held on Saturday, Oct. 11, in the Aspen 6th Ward meetinghouse in Orem, Utah.
mholman@desnews.com @marianne_holman
mholman@desnews.com @marianne_holman
