George Walter “Bud” Stone, Jr died March 11, 2025, in Tigard, OR.
Bud was born May 16, 1937, in Detroit, MI, to George W Stone Sr, a mechanic, and Edith Edna Stone (nee Winship), a nurse.
He is preceded in his death by his parents, his older sister Mary Jane Gibbons, and his younger sister, Nancy Little.
He is survived by his wife, Gail Baker Stone of King City, OR, his sons LTC Steven W. Stone (RET) of Fredericksburg, V. and David L. Stone (Stacey) of Huntsville, AL and his daughters, Linda E. Bobby (Michael) of Albuquerque, NM and Lynn Noel Walker (John) of Tillamook, OR. His grandchildren are Ashley, Courtney, Brigit, Caeleigh, Cameron, and his great-granddaughter, Remy.
After WWII, the family moved from Michigan to Mountain Hill, GA. Bud graduated from Chipley HS, Harris County, GA. Bud earned a bachelor’s degree in 1959 and a master’s degree in 1960 from GA Institute of Technology in Aerospace Engineering. Bud began his career at Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, NM. He was distinguished by being a member of the first group of engineers to be sent to receive his Doctorate in Aerospace Engineering from Notre Dame University in 1970. His dissertation was on the dynamics of how Mangus rotors calculate how a nuclear thermocouple powering the Apollo lunar experiments would reenter the Earth’s atmosphere. After retiring from Sandia National Labs in December 1994, Bud and Gail moved to their ranch in Amalia, NM, and built their off-grid homestead house.
Bud always loved the outdoors and frequently took the family camping, fishing, backpacking and skiing. Bud was a scout his entire life. As an adult, he was a Scoutmaster of Troop 395 in Albuquerque, NM and earned his Wood Badge in 1977.
Bud started his second career in his retirement as a gunsmith specializing in high-powered hunting rifles. His third love was making turquoise and horn buttons, customized hunting knives, and jewelry of turquoise and semi-precious stones. This created an outlet for Bud and Gail to travel all over the US to juried craft shows to sell their creations.
After living off the grid for eight years, Bud and Gail moved to Madison, AL. While in Madison, Bud became active within the American Red Cross, where he was an Action Team leader responding to disasters day or night.
Bud and Gail moved to a retirement community in Oregon in 2017 to be closer to Noel and her family. He became known as a skilled bridge player and played in many different venues in the area. Bud had a sharp mind and dry wit that was loved by many and will be missed by all.
After battling a long journey with Parkinson’s disease, Bud passed on March 11, 2025. Services will be held in 2026, where part of his ashes will be launched to the moon by Celestis.
