John Stone Jr.

John (Rocky) Stone Jr., 84, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer on July 8, 2016.

John was born in Boston and raised in Dorchester. He attended St. Mark’s Parochial School and Christopher Columbus High School in the North End of Boston. In 1949, he enlisted in the United States Army and served his country honorably during three combat tours in the Korean War. He achieved the rank of Sergeant 1st Class and was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge and Korean War Medal with 3 Battle Stars.

After leaving the service in 1955, John was employed as a District Sales Manager by the Coca Cola Bottling Company of Braintree until his retirement in 1987.

John was an avid reader, enjoyed traveling with his family and was an accomplished gardener who found great joy in supplying family, friends and all of God’s creatures with a variety and abundance of vegetables. His garden was a renowned spot for a summer visit to watch the tomato plants grow while listening to Irish music.  He volunteered for many community organizations throughout the years including  Boy Scouts, Weymouth Farm and Little League Baseball and Weymouth Youth Hockey. He was a long-time volunteer at the Long Island Homeless Shelter and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Abington Post 0537.

He was the beloved husband of Catherine (Kitty) Craig with whom he shared nearly 60 years of marriage, devoted father of John and wife Nicki Germain of San Carlos, Sonoro, Mexico, Robert and Michele Masuda of Auke Bay, Alaska and Cathy Walton and husband Charles of Marshfield. He was the cherished Papa of granddaughter Emily Rose Walton of Marshfield.  John is survived by his sisters Helene Cuesta and husband Pepe of Waltham, Jean Hixon of Orlando, Florida and Rae (Woodford) DeFrancesco and husband Steve of Abington; brother James and wife Patty of Whitman and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents John and Margaret (Grant), his sister Barbara Coscia and brothers William and Robert.

Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend the visiting hours on Monday, July 11 from 4 -8  at the McDonald Keohane Funeral Home, 809 Main Street, South Weymouth (Route 18 – opp. So. Shore Hospital).  A procession from the Funeral Home will begin at 8 am on Tuesday, July 12 followed by a Christian Mass at St. Bridget’s Church, 455 Plymouth Street, Abington at 9 am and burial with Military Honors in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Rockland.

Donations in memory of John may be made to Saint Vincent de Paul Society, 425 Plymouth St. Abington, MA 02351 or Hospice of the South Shore, 30 Reservoir Park Drive Rockland, MA 02370.