Mary Ruth “Missy” Goodloe Stone

Mary Ruth “Missy” Goodloe Stone passed away
on August 8, 2022 in Tallulah, Louisiana after a
lengthy illness. Wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and
friend were all titles she held in this lifetime. But
the one that meant the most to her was “teacher”.
Born on March 26, 1942 in West Helena, Arkansas
the daughter of Reverend and Mrs. William Henry
Goodloe, all she ever wanted to be was a teacher.
She graduated from North Little Rock High School
in 1960 and attended Southwestern University in
Georgetown, Texas where she obtained her teaching
degree. After graduating from Southwestern in May
of 1964, she married John Neal Stone of Jasper,
Texas in August of that same year. Three days after
their wedding, she started her first job teaching high
school students in Georgetown, Texas.
In 1969, she and John moved to Vernon, Texas
where she began almost 40 years of teaching. She had a special heart for the
middle schools students at Vernon Intermediate School, grades 5 – 8. She taught
history, social studies, ESL, speech, and the gifted and talented program. She
taught the importance of history and current events and the importance of how
those worked together. She encouraged reading and creativity and critical
thinking. She taught confidence by finding you where you were and convincing
you where you could go. She taught teamwork and laughter. She taught patience
and persistence. She taught that it was “ok” to be smart and hard-working. She
taught that there was a lot more to teaching that just the book work. She taught
that teaching was really about heart and love.
And, oh how she taught love. She loved her kids and grandkids. She loved her
friends…and their kids…and their kids’ kids. She loved her choir and her church
family. She loved a good diet cherry Coke and a cup of hot tea. She loved music
and singing and playing the piano. She loved to laugh and play Trivial Pursuit.
She loved everybody’s babies, and she loved her baby dolls. She loved dogs and
cats and “The Sound of Music.” But mostly, she loved her husband, John.
Her beautiful life ultimately taught us how wonderful a life full of love can be.
Patient love. Quiet love. Unwavering and unconditional love. Sacrificial love.
And that love will continue to fill our hearts forever.
She is survived by her husband of almost 58 years, John, son Rev. Henry Stone
(Clelie) of Tallulah, Louisiana, daughter Shirley Stone Sankey (Joe) of
Germantown, Tennessee and grandchildren Nathan Stone, Zoe Stone and Nealy
Sankey.
A memorial service will be held at the First United Methodist Church in
Vernon, Texas on Saturday, September 3 at 11 a.m. with a visitation at 10 a.m.
Internment will be at a later date in the Ryall Family Cemetery in Jasper, Texas.
Memorials may be made in her memory to the First United Methodist Church in
Vernon or an organization of your choosing