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James Hugh Stone
Wilsonville

James Hugh Stone, age 94, of Wilsonville, passed away Monday, Feb. 28.

The visitation will be from 10-11 a.m., Friday, March 4 at Fourmile Baptist Church. The funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. at the church with Rev. Richard Hanna and Bro. Roger Chambers officiating. Burial will follow at Fourmile Cemetery. Bolton Funeral Home is directing. A reception will be held following the service. Friends and family are invited to attend.

Mr. Stone was preceded in death by his beloved wife of nearly 70 years, Mertice Gould Stone; parents, Irvin and Eunice Stone; brothers, Jack, Kelly, Joe and Keith; sisters, Tommie Lou Liles and Thelma Payne; and grandchildren, William Lee Stone, Matthew James Stone, and Jairrett Isaac Stone.

He is survived by two sisters, Joyce Payne and Peggy Weatherspoon; children, Karen Elizabeth Stone (Charlie), Sallie Stone Arvison (Bryan), Stephen Keith Stone (Nancy), and Timothy Ellis Stone (Virginia); grandchildren, Andrew James Stone, Tyler Arvison, Laurabeth Bucur, Renee Brooks, Judi McCallum, Susan Musselwhite, Victoria Hubschmitt, Ian Stone, Anderson Stone, Rosie Stone; and special nephew, Don Gould.

Hugh was born Dec. 1, 1927, the oldest son of Irvin and Eunice. As a child growing up during the Great Depression, he learned to work hard, plowing with mules and working the garden, not only for his family, but also his grandfather’s. Even with his responsibilities at home, Hugh didn’t neglect his education, graduating from Shelby County High School in 1948.

Shortly after graduation, Hugh found his calling in the U.S. Army and completed multiple tours of duty in the Aleutian Islands, Japan, Vietnam, and assignments at several U.S. Army bases. Hugh worked as a crew chief and mechanic on fixed-wing Caribou and Mohawk transport aircraft in Vietnam.

After a 20-year Army career, Sergeant First Class Stone retired in 1969. He wasn’t really retiring though, as he then earned a college degree at Jefferson State Junior College and moved on to teach ROTC at Phillips High School in Birmingham, retiring from that position in 1988.

Hugh and Mertice gave generously of their time and resources to help those in need, volunteering with the Shelby Baptist Association, Alabama Disaster Relief, Kiwanis, and innumerable acts of kindness over the years. Mr. Stone served as a deacon and long-time member of Fourmile Baptist Church.

He was a godly man and mentor to many young men. His children and grandchildren have fond memories of time spent with “granddaddy and grandmother” at their home in Fourmile, catching catfish, eating watermelon, and sharing jokes and stories.

Memorial donations can be made to the Cemetery Fund at Fourmile Baptist Church, 15577 Highway 61, Wilsonville, AL 35186.

Please sign online condolences at Boltonfuneralhome.com.