Esther "Essie" McDorman Stone
February 21, 1920 ~ January 26, 2017
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
Asheville Butterfly Trail
Esther "Essie" Stone of the Deerfield Retirement Community in Asheville, passed away Thursday, January 26, 2017.
Essie and her husband Dr. Doug Stone were married for 63 years. They lived in Riceville for 31 years. Essie was a driver at the beginning of the Red Cross transportation service, volunteered at St. Joseph's Hospital, and worked as a substitute in the Asheville-Buncombe County Library system. In her younger days she was an honor graduate of the original Forest Park High School in Baltimore. She loved ballet and got a scholarship to the Peabody Institute where she studied with beloved teachers Mrs. Gertrude Colburn, Miss Bessie Evans, and, later, Mr. Michael Nicholoff who was in the company of Madame Anna Pavlova.
She took part in all Peabody recitals and others throughout Baltimore. Later, Essie had her own ballet school and loved teaching little girls classical dance. Next was nursing school at the Union Memorial Hospital, then mother of four and great family life.
She loved living 16 years at Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community in Asheville where it was family. In response to Esther's love of simplicity and wishes there will only be a grave site service of her four children in the quiet community on the Chesapeake Bay where she spent the happy summers of her youth.
Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian is assisting the family.
To the Stone family,
Your mother and father were very dear to me, and I grieve for your loss. I was the marketing director at Deerfield when Essie and Doug decided to move to the community. They were incredibly good and special people–so kind, so caring, with such humility and integrity. Your father’s heroism as a young doctor in WWII, and your mother’s generous and loving spirit and radiant smile, are things that I will always remember–of all the residents at Deerfield, they stand out for me as two of my very favorites. I truly loved them both. I am glad to have had the chance to know them. I hold them and you, their family, in my thoughts and prayers.
Dee Mason
I have such wonderful memories of this beautiful lady from many years ago. Dan, Jack, Judy and Jim- Thoughts and prayers are with you. Hold on to the wonderful memories.
Love to you all
Kathy Harlan Yeager
My family and I will miss Essie. She always brought good cheer and kind words. We are blessed to have known her and her family along with living in the beautiful home and setting that her and Dr. Stone built in Riceville.
Love,
Dan, Cathy, Shannon and Ben
With our deepest condolences to The Stone Family & Friends.
Revelation 21: 4.
Thanks to all who have left condolences and memories here. So many people knew Mom in so many ways. I have a million memories of this warmhearted, caring, compassionate, graceful, beautiful woman, as do her other children. She was always thoughtful, conscientious, hard-working, hospitable, cheerful, and positive. She had a sensitive artistic side as well, always appreciating beauty in any form. Growing up, my friends all were welcome and appreciated at our home, thanks to Mom. I see her every day, as she lives in my heart.
I loved reading about your Mom!
You all are in my prayers,
felicia