Paul Stone, 82, maintenance supervisor, horseshoe player
ALBANY—Paul F. Stone, 82, of Columbiaville passed away Sunday, January 15, 2012 at Albany Medical Center.
Born February 28, 1929 in Stockport, he was the son of the late Herbert and Ethel (Myers) Stone.
He was the maintenance supervisor for bridges and buildings for Metro-North Railroad. He also worked for Foster Refrigeration Corp. and Witham Electric.
Mr. Stone served in the US Navy from 1946 until 1948. He was a member of the Stockport Fire Company, the Glencadia Rod and Gun Club, the Philmont Rod and Gun Club and the Stuyvesant Falls VFW 9593. He was also an avid horseshoe player.
Mr. Stone was a master craftsman, a jack-of-all-trades. He walked softly and carried a big stick, but he never used it.
He is survived by: three children, Paula Stone, Linda Bodenstein and William (Carol) Stone, all of Columbiaville; his brother, Charles (Frances) Stone; four grandchildren, Elizabeth Briggs (Rick Rothermel), Kelley (Jack) Demarest, Jennifer Stone (Jeff Ringwood) and Emily Stone (Mike Douglas); six great-grandchildren, Rocco and Gunnar Demarest, Hannah Miller (father, Eric Miller), Tyler and Madison Ringwood and Chloe Douglas; and many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his wife, Katherine (Stevenson) Stone; his brother, William Stone; and two sisters, Alice Stone Torchia and Helen Stone.
A celebration of Mr. Stone’s life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 28, 2012 at the Glencadia Rod and Gun Club.
Donations may be made to the Salvation Army or to the Capital City Rescue Mission.
Arrangements are with the Bates and Anderson-Redmond and Keeler Funeral Home.
To leave a message for the family go to www.batesanderson.com.
Tomm Eaton, 69, owned real estate firm
HUDSON—Tomm Douglas Eaton died at 1:20 a.m. on Sunday, January 15, 2012, at Columbia Memorial Hospital surrounded by his heartbroken family.
He was born June 8, 1942 to Bettina (Garland) and Douglas Eaton in Evansville, Indiana, and earned his bachelor’s degree in art and graphic design at Kent State University in 1964. He began working as a store manager at Higbee’s in Cleveland, Ohio, but later moved to New York City to work for the cosmetics giant Estee Lauder Inc. as regional manager of a 13-state territory and was eventually promoted to administrative director, for which he crisscrossed the United States developing new business.
Mr. Eaton married and had three children: Kate, Ben and Amanda, to whom he was devoted. He loved the outdoors and introduced his children to what he called “haute adventure,” which included hot-air ballooning, cross-country skiing and fishing. A weekend home in the area eventually brought him to Hudson permanently, where he worked for many years in real estate and opened his own business, where he would “turn needs into deeds” for house hunters. He also worked most recently at Hudson Home and TJ Maxx.
The civic and cultural life of both Hudson and Columbia County were enriched by Mr. Eaton’s many efforts. He served on the board of trustees of the Hudson Opera House from its inception through the 1990s; as president of the Hudson Area Association Library Friends group; as president of the Columbia County Real Estate Board; at various times as president, secretary and treasurer of the Columbia County Council on the Arts; and secretary of Trout Unlimited. He also served on the Government Advisory Committee for Hudson Mayor Richard Scalera; on Hudson’s Mayoral Advisory Board; and he was active in the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce.
A man of generous spirit and a ready smile, Mr. Eaton loved food, family, friends and fun. He loved to cook and fish, tie flies, tell stories, and laugh; but he never went anywhere without sketchbook and pencils or watercolors in hand. He was often known to give people who bought a house from him a watercolor of their new home. He loved travel and immensely enjoyed trips to London, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland, as well as his many excursions with Janet up and down the East Coast, when he was always on the hunt for ideal spots to fish and sketch.
He is survived by the people who loved him most: his life partner, Janet Schnitzer; his children, Kate, Ben and Amanda and their spouses, Frank Orlando, Mary Ellen Eaton and Nicholas LaMantia; his grandchildren, Nikolas and Ryan Orlando, Lucy and Emma Eaton and Grace LaMantia; and Jonathan and Camila Schnitzer and Suzann (Schnitzer) and Grant Benatar and grandchildren, Benjamin Schnitzer and Ethan Benatar. He is also survived by brother and sisters, Diane and Gary Eaton of Georgia, Jane and Eddie Sheffner of Ohio, Joyce and John Kessler of Georgia, Lori and Joe Brozka of Ohio, and their children Adrian and Sarah Eaton Martin, Steven and Marella Eaton, Jessica Brozka and cousin Cynthia and George Atkinson.
There will be a memorial celebration of Mr. Eaton’s life in the spring, soon after trout season begins again. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to: The Columbia County Council on the Arts, 209 Warren Street, Hudson; The Hudson Area Association Library, 400 State Street, Hudson; Columbia Greene Trout Unlimited (CGTU), P.O. Box 733, Hudson; or Hudson Opera House, 327 Warren Street, Hudson.
