Gerald Bernard Stone was born March 5, 1932 on a farm in Kittson County, MN. When the doctor came to the house, Daddy paid him with 12 chickens and six dollars. Mom's sister came to help Mom. The pigs got out of the pen. Aunt Cele being a city girl called "Shoo, Shoo"! The pigs didn't hear her, so Gerry's mother came and got them in.

Gerald passed away at home December 28, 2015 under wonderful Hospice care.

When Gerald was around four, they moved to a farm near Goodridge, MN. They applied to the U.S. Government for a Resettlement Farm north of Oklee. They moved into the home in February, 1940. The cold weather had heaved the house so much that you could see the light outside between the foundation and the house. The house creaked for days as warmth settled the house.

Inga Linder was his teacher in second grade.

Gerald graduated from Oklee High School in 1950. Gerry and his buddies made a few trips to the principal's office. "It was hard on our attitude. We had to apologize to our teacher. Even a few girls had to see the principal with us boys", Gerald explained.

Gerald worked seasonal jobs on ranches in Montana, lawnmower factories in Milwaukee, and as a heavy equipment operator on road repair in Minnesota. He always had a love for machinery, including an imaginary fleet of trucks in the woods when he was two years old.

He entered the U.S. Army and served two years in Korea. Gerald loved our country and worried about it.

On Friday June 13, 1958, He married Lorraine Iverson. They lived in the Chicago area four years. He went to technical school and assisted his instructors teaching electricity.

I n 1962, they moved to Anaheim, CA.

Life has had many highlights and wonderful trips including; 52 days around the world in 1962 for $2495 each, watching polar bears staying on the tundra at Hudson Bay in 1996, the Arctic Ocean at Prudhoe Bay in Alaska in 1998 and Antarctica in 2001. He loved it all!

Preceding Gerald in death were his father, Lawrence in 1987, mother Madeline Conely in 2004 and sister Patti, who was killed in a car accident in Italy in 1963, several cousins and friends.

Surviving is his wife of 57 years, wonderful cousins and friends. Thank you Lord, for sharing him with us for 83 years.