Obituary of Arlis Stone

Services for Arlis F. Stone, 91, New London, are scheduled for 1:00 pm, Friday, December 2, at London Baptist Church, New London. Military burial services will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery near New London under direction of Cottle-Pearson Funeral Home, Overton. Mr. Stone died Tuesday, November 29, 2011, at Mother Francis hospital in Tyler. He was born October 24, 1920 in Santo, Texas, to the late Early Andrew and Chloe Banks Stone. Arlis was a longtime member of London Baptist Church where he was a deacon.  He served on the West Rusk school board for many years, was a WWII veteran of the US Army where he earned the Bronze Star and a Good Conduct Medal.  For 39 years he worked as a pumper for Humble/Exxon. Arlis loved to read, especially about science. He was a constant prankster and teller of jokes.  His two vices included snuff and peppermint candy. In his spare time he enjoyed bass fishing, arrowhead hunting, and poke sallat and blackberry picking. The family always looked forward to his fried chicken and homemade ice cream.  Arlis was preceded in death by two brothers, J. T. Stone and Hubert Earl Stone, and two sisters, Mildred Stewart and Gerald Lehr. Survivors include his wife, Thelma Stone, New London; a son and daughter-in-law, Frankie and Annette Stone, Rockdale; a daughter, Rise' Stone, New London; two brothers, Douglas Stone and Alton Stone, both of Henderson; a sister, Patsy Stotts, Liberty Hill; a granddaughter and grand-son-in-law, Amie and Matthew King, Pflugerville; two great-grandchildren, Marillah and Edward King; and numerous nieces and nephews. Pallbearers will be Bubba McFarland, Matthew King, John Hawkins, Allan Torbert, Larry Clinkscale and Steve Wedgeworth.  Visitation will be from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm, Thursday, December 1, at the funeral home.