El Dorado and area residents lost a friend, supporter and cheerleader for the community last week when Cliff Stone, 91, died Thursday afternoon.
Stone had been an instrumental part of the community for many years, with his involvement touching many people and organizations.
"He was brilliant visionary who could see possibility where others couldn't," said Butler Community College President Jackie Vietti. "He was bold and courageous, so if he believed something was the right thing to do, he would find ways to get it done."
Butler was one of the organizations greatly impacted by Stone.
"There are few if any more steadfast advocates for Butler than was Cliff Stone," Vietti said. "In fact, he and I had this running debate about whether he was a benefactor or was a philanthropist."
Stone said he was neither and Vietti said he was both.
"I looked them up and announced at a college dedication ceremony -- made possible by Cliff -- he was in fact both," she said, adding that she then sat down because the ceremony was over but Stone stood up to comment on that. She said the debate was still going on.
But there was no arguing about his generosity.
"Butler wouldn't be the college it is today if it weren't for Cliff Stone," Vietti said. "The number of students he has helped, I can't begin to count. What he's done for the college to have the capacity to serve more students than ever before; no one has done that. I think his greatest passion was making sure people who wanted to have access to higher education could have that access."
"It is not an exaggeration to say he was beloved by Butler."
Among his contributions include innumerable scholarships for students and helping to renovate the student commons area.
"The welcome center is the latest example that has his hand prints on it," Vietti said. "He was pivotal to the success of the Art Without Walls Campaign. The Ag Facility renovation would not have happened without him.
"He has been central to our facilities to create the best nursing program around, as well as the best ag program. Those two programs would not be where they are today without his help, as would the art program, which was another of his passions."
In addition to the college, he also played an important role in the Kansas Oil Museum and Butler County History Center, where he served as the Board of Directors vice president for a while.
"He was one of the main founders," said Teresa Bachman, museum executive director. "He's been with us since 1955. They actually incorporated the historical society in 1956 and he's been an advocate and contributor to just untold hours. It's just amazing."
In fact, Stone was honored by being listed on a founder's plaque at the museum. Although they received it just before Christmas, because of weather, they never got around to having Stone come in and get his picture taken with it.
Stone's early involvement with the museum includes furnishing the building rent free to the museum while it was located on Main Street. He also initiated getting the land where the museum is currently located.
Originally they shared the building with the Chamber of Commerce and when the chamber moved out, Stone helped with the purchase of that half of the building.
"If it wasn't for him we would either not be here or we would still be a little storefront museum," Bachman said.
"We have had many other volunteers and contributors, but Clifford Stone just stands out over and above everyone else."
He also has been involved with the Coutts Museum of Art, where he was voted in as a life-time member a couple of years ago.
"He has been a big contributor to us over the years," said Rhoda Hodges, museum co-director. "He does a lot of things that no one knows he does."
She said he is involved in just about everything that goes on.
Stone's involvement in art reached beyond the college and Coutts.
It was Stone's idea to establish a special collection of art and poetry at the Commerce Bank Atrium in about 1985. He came up with the basic idea to match paintings with the poem written by Rolla Clymer, "The Majesty of the Hills."
He also was instrumental in arranging the sale of the building next to the Coutts to the museum, which allowed them to set up artists studios on the second floor.
He also has been a supporter of individual artists.
"Cliff was always interested in what I had working on my easel, and in talking about life and painting," said Jim Clements, El Dorado artist. "His encouragement and advice over the years has been invaluable. I'll miss him."
Another involvement of Stone's was the YMCA.
"He was very strong in the initial gifting for the YMCA and he continued to be an advocate for the Y," said Mark Utech, president of Commerce Bank. "And he was a regular participant at the Y, working out there."
He said Stone could often be seen walking on the track even up to a couple weeks ago.
His faith also was important to Stone.
He was a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church, but his support also reached to many other churches in the community.
“He’s been a long-time member of our church and a financial supporter,” said Morgan Metcalf, senior warden at Trinity Episcopal.
Metcalf recalled when he was a young kid growing up in the church. He had served as an acolyte, which are the young people who assist in the service.
“I was an acolyte right around the 1940s and early 1950s and Cliff at that time was in charge of the acolytes and would train us,” he said.
He also served on the vestry, the governing body of the church.
“I can remember the days when his mother was still living and he and his wife, Sally Stone, would faithfully attend the eight o’clock service together,” Metcalf said. “He was attending our church service up until very recently.”
Stone also was friends with several of the church’s bishops over the years.
“He was a stalwart in our church, no doubt about it,” Metcalf said.
Stone also is known for his work ethic and success in the business world.
Stone, who was born in El Dorado in 1918, began his work career as a partner with his mother in the operation of the Stone farms in Butler, McPherson and Finney counties.
In addition, Stone became the managing director of Saco Oil Company and the Yuma Oil Company, positions he held for the next 26 years. Both companies had been owned since 1934 by Stone's father-in-law, O.J. Connell. Saco and Yuma had producing leases in Butler, Marion, Russell and Sedgwick counties, as well as interests in Texas and Oklahoma. Adhering to his belief in the importance of being a good corporate citizen, he saw to it that both oil companies actively supported all civic and county endeavors in addition to furnishing labor and supplying resources whenever they were needed. Stone not only managed Saco's and Yuma's oil leases, the mother/son team also purchased and operated the Walnut Valley State Bank and Trust, where he had a 42-year banking career as C.E.O.
"The Walnut Valley slogan was "Being helpful in the business of living," and that was a slogan that Cliff lived by both professionally and personally everyday of his life," said Steve Funk, who knew Cliff for 31 years.
Stone hired Funk right out of law school to work for him at the bank.
"Cliff Stone, along with Dave Clymer, were the two most important El Dorado residents in terms of economic development and job creation in the last half of the 20th Century," Funk said. "Cliff's personal involvement in our community will probably never be matched. His generosity was only matched by his unwillingness to seek attention for his good deeds."
Utech also talked of Stone's impact on the area and the region.
"He was a very strong advocate for our community and our region," he said. "His mantra for many years
was he was "Helpful in the business of living," and he certainly lived that to the fullest; he believed that very much. He was generous with his time and leadership skills. He did an enormous amount of work in economic development in our region and community."
Utech said Stone's interests were wide and varied.
"He gave of his time and money to his faith, to his passion in the arts and his family and friends saw him often," he said, adding that he was an advocate for all of El Dorado's education systems.
"He was instrumental in many of the significant changes that have taken place in our community over the years."
Bachman also started her career working for Stone at Walnut Valley Bank.
"I was 19 when I hired on," she said. "He just felt like employees were family. You could go to him with problems, and it was just real important for him to help his employees."
Stone's business achievements were recognized in 2008 when Butler Community College inducted him into the Mid-America Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame.
Another recognition came on the national level, when he received Philanthropist of the Year, traveling to Washington, D.C. to receive the award.
Stone also received the Petroleum History Institute Award, the 2006 Keeper of the Flame Award, recognizes Stone's diligent service, boundless energy and enthusiasm for his community and the petroleum industry.
"He told me that his mother actually was the one that taught him to be a philanthropist and she was very giving to the community and different entities around in the area," Bachman said.
"The thing that amazed me about Cliff was how tireless a worker he was, especially at his age," Clements said. "I walk right by Cliff's parking space at Commerce Bank to get to my studio. The days – even Sundays and holidays – and hours I'd see his car parked, knowing he was in his office, was unbelievable. It would be an inspiration to anyone. He knew the value of hard work and lived it everyday."
Stone also served his country. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet at a time when the nation had been at war only four months. He served as a B-24 pilot with the 763rd Squadron of the 460th Heavy Bombardment Group of the 55th Wing of the 15th Air Force in the European theater of operations in Italy.
While participating in his 50th credited bombing mission, his B-24 was shot down. He was captured by the Germans and spent the remainder of World War II at Stalag I prisoner-of-war camp. His military decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. At the time of his separation from active duty, he was a captain, but he later attained the rank of major in the U.S. Air Force Reserves.
Stone was married to Sara (Sally) Lou Connell of El Dorado on Dec. 10, 1941. They had two children, Samuel C. and Sue Hunter. He also has two grandchildren, Sara Stone Laughren and Britton Hunter Abramov and a great-grandchild, Ryan Stone Laughren.
"He was a true servant leader who always did the right thing because it helped others and he never wanted the credit," Vietti said. "He just reached out because it would make our corner of the world a better place.
He will be missed by everyone at the college; everyone in the community. We have lost a great man."
