Frances Marsha (Fran) Stone, 93, died of cardiac arrest just hours before scheduled heart replacement at Maine Medical Center on Oct. 28, 2015. Fran was born on Oct. 18, 1922, in Lewiston, to Joseph and Esther (Lichter) Lempert. She attended Lewiston schools, graduating from Lewiston High and from Westbrook Junior College (now UNE) with an Associate Degree.
She was predeceased by her parents; sister Marian and brother-in-law Maurice Aronoff of Cincinnati, brother Harold and sister-in-law Anne (Lazarovich) of Lewiston, and sister Dorris and brother-in-law Edward Winner of Auburn.
Fran and her beloved husband Mel (Melvin L. Stone) were married on July 23, 1944, shortly before Mel left for overseas with the Army Engineers during WWII. Following the war, they moved to Rumford where Mel became publisher of the Rumford Falls Times and several other weeklies printed at their Rumford Publishing Co. Both their sons, Charles Eric and David Joel were born in Rumford. With a move into radio, owning Rumford, Skowhegan and Sanford stations, the family moved to Portland, airing WLOB-AM in 1957, with FM to follow.
Before the war, Fran had clerked at her father’s jewelry store and later, in Cincinnati, at her brother-in-law’s jewelry business. During the war she lived in Washington, D.C., and worked at the farm machine ration section of the Department of Agriculture. For several years, in Portland, she managed and owned a franchise of International Dictating Services, a medical records transcription and general typing service.
Fran was always community minded. In Rumford, she was active in Eastern Star. In Portland, Fran became a 50-year member of Hadassah and served for 30 years as treasurer of the Auxiliary of the Jewish Home for the Aged (now Cedars.) She was president of Temple Beth El Sisterhood and president of the Deering High School Band Parents group, often chaperoning, with Mel, band members on out of town trips. She also served as a secretary of the Council of Jewish Women.
Fran is survived by her husband, Mel; sons Charles E. Stone and daughter-in-law Barbara of Wexford, Pa., David J. Stone and daughter-in-law Katharine (KC) of Windham; Grandsons Peter Lempert Stone of Pittsburgh, and Dr. Brian Newman Stone, his wife, Jennifer; great-grandchildren Eric Charles and Ella Jean; and step-grandchildren Haley Lee and Austin Jennings of Murrysville, Pa.; and many nieces and nephews.
The Stone family is grateful for the wonderful care extended to Fran during her stays at Maine Medical Center.
Funeral services were held at Temple Beth El, 400 Deering Ave., Portland, on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 1:30 p.m. Interment followed at Temple Beth El Memorial Park. Arrangements were by the Jewish Funeral Home.
Donations in her memory may be made to
Cedars
620 Ocean Ave.
Portland, ME 04103
or to a charity of choice.