Marie Louise Stone

Marie Stone, born Sept. 7, 1914, passed peacefully on the 4th of July 2017, at her home for the last 17 years, the home of her daughter and caretaker, Bernie Edrosolan and son-in-law, David.

Marie was born in Waddington, California, to Joseph and Clothilda Katri.  Marie was the second oldest of five siblings.  Her father contracted pneumonia and died shortly after her ninth birthday.  She happily helped her mother with the younger siblings and chores on the family farm.

Marie graduated from Ferndale High School in 1933 and went to nursing school at Providence Nursing School in Oakland, California.  She developed pneumonia while in nursing school, hospitalized for three months, and placed in intensive care where she almost died.  She always talked about how she nearly died in nursing school.

Marie finally finished nursing school in 1937 and returned home to get her first nursing job at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Eureka, California.  She worked at St. Joseph’s until the war broke out.  She decided to enlist in the U.S. Army to help her country.  Marie was very patriotic; it is somewhat fitting that if she had to leave us it was on the 4th of July, a day she loved.

Marie ended up in Santa Maria, California, where she met George Stone, from Savannah, Georgia.  He was the love of her life.  They married as the war ended and began their lives together in their first home just outside Vallejo in Napa County near Chabot Terrace.  They lived there for four years while they started their family by having their first three children: Patty, Bernie, and Rodney.  

They moved to Fairfield in 1952 where they bought a home.  Marie worked at the County Hospital.  Their new home was close enough to where the family lived so she could walk to work.

Michael, their fourth child, was born and they thought their family was complete.  But three years later a real surprise came — their fifth child, George, was born.  George was named after his dad.  Shortly after George Jr was born, our father had a severe heart attack and stroke which immobilized him and rendered his left side completely paralyzed.

Marie’s life became quite difficult as she raised her family of five children, worked full-time, and took care of her husband.  Marie never complained about how hard her life became or how much she had to work to keep it all together.  She always made the best of it.

In 1962, her husband passed away.  Marie always worked very hard to keep her family together and instilled in her children good values and a strong work ethic.  Marie’s mottos were: “Treat everyone like you would want to be treated”; “never give up”; “where there’s a will, there’s a way”; and “have some type of spiritual belief.”

Marie retired in 1984 after 37 years at the County Hospital, but then went back to work part-time at a clinic in Vallejo.  After the clinic closed, she completely retired in her late 70s.  Marie never remarried and devoted her life to raising her five children. 

Even though she retired from working, she always kept very busy.  On the weekends she drove to her children’s homes in San Rafael, Novato and Napa, to take care of her grandchildren.  Marie has 15 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren and enjoyed spending time with them, as she loved them all dearly.

Marie always took pride in her yard.  She mowed her lawn every week and babied her beautiful roses at her house in Fairfield.  She also hand-washed her little red Mercedes every week, which she bought for herself on her 70th birthday.

In 1999, Marie decided to sell her home and move to Napa to be closer to her family.  She moved in with her daughter, Bernie, and her son-in-law, David.  Her sons were also close by with Rod and George in Napa and Mike in Novato.

Marie enjoyed living in Napa.  Her biggest hobby consisted of watching the Giants and the Warriors and going to all of her great-grandchildren’s sporting events.

Marie was nearly 103 years-old when she passed away.  If you asked Marie what her secret to longevity was, she would say, “Have a positive attitude, exercise, eat well, take your vitamins and enjoy each day!”

Marie is survived by Bernie (David) Edrosolan, Rodney (Jocelyne) Stone, and George Stone Jr, all of Napa, and Mike (Cathy) Stone of Novato, Patricia (Earl) Hokenson of Tiburon, California, 15 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren.

Please join the family for a celebration of Marie’s life on July 15, 2017, from 4-8 p.m. at Bernie and David’s home in Napa.  A mass in Marie’s honor will be held at St. Apollinaris Catholic Church at 1 p.m., followed by burial at Tulocay Cemetery in Napa.  Donations in Marie’s name may be made to your favorite charity or to Hospice by the Bay. 

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