Richie Kay Stone

MISSOULA ~ Richie Kay Stone, 77, of Missoula, passed away on October 21, 2022 at Community Medical Center in Missoula of natural causes.

She was born October 11, 1945 in Kalispell, Montana to Richard and Annette Bain.  She attended elementary school at Evergreen and then went to Flathead County High School, graduating in 1963.  After graduation, she attended Western Montana College in Dillon, majoring in education.  During this time, she put her musical talents on display playing her ukulele and singing folk songs with a group of Western classmates.  They performed at most all the Montana college campuses.

In the summer of 1964, she met her future husband, Jerry Stone, while working at a local grocery store.  She told her college roommate she met the man she would marry, and true to her word, they were married on February 26, 1966.

In 1968, the couple moved to Missoula and were employed by Missoula County Public Schools.  She worked with special education students at Lowell and C.S. Porter Middle School.  After retirement, she opened an infant daycare business, but these resume points are not what makes a life. It’s along the way, where she met countless people and developed lasting relationships with her infectious laugh and outgoing, loving nature.

She enjoyed traveling, swimming, canoeing, cross-country skiing, gardening and most of all, her music.  She became an accomplished guitar and banjo player.  She was a proud member of the Bluegrass Worship Group at Atonement Lutheran Church.

Richie is survived by her husband, Jerry; one daughter, Lori (Tom) Bishop; one son, Keith Stone; two sisters, Carolyn Messner, Valerie (Merritt) Wolf; three brothers, Dennis (Marilyn) Bain, Greg (Clare LaMeres) Bain, Jeff (Sandra Ravetto) Bain; six grandchildren, Julian, Aaron, Colin, Brian, Harrison, Suzie and more family and friends, all of whom she loved beyond description and all of whom loved her in their own colorful, varied and infinite description.