Eleanor Stone

Eleanor Levisa McLean Stone, 90, died on December 20, 2025, at Charlestown Senior Living Community in Catonsville, MD. Her parents were William Hardin McLean and Eleanor Levisa Gabard McLean. Eleanor was the youngest of six children born at home in Lewisburg, TN. Eleanor is survived by her husband of 71 years, Joseph Lawson Stone. Survivors include her daughter Anne Vandegrift (Robert Vandegrift), Burtonsville, MD; grandsons Abel Vandegrift (Felicia Barnes), Chicago, IL; and Benjamin Vandegrift (Allison Bresnick), Brooklyn, NY; and great-granddaughter Ivy Eleanor Barnes, Chicago, IL. Their older daughter Lisa Stone (Al Metzger), Tampa, FL, died in 2024. 

Eleanor grew up on Briar Lane Farm, the family dairy farm where cows tended to be named after family members. Years later, Joe realized that the calf that 1 his father purchased for Joe’s 4-H project, was sold to him by Mr. McLean. The calf’s name was Eleanor. Eleanor (not the calf!) played basketball (because she was tall) and was a cheerleader (because she could yell) at Marshall County High School. Her outgoing personality served her well in the years ahead. She met Joe on a double date, and they soon became a new couple. 

As the 19-year-old bride of a budding US Army officer, Eleanor embraced the military life that over 22 years took them to ten states and Germany. She and Joe settled in Gaithersburg, MD, by the time their daughters were in high school. They had relocated so many times that Lisa and Anne called their family the “Rolling Stones.” Eager to help with the increased costs of living in the Washington area, Eleanor ventured over to the nearby National Geographic Society, applied for a job, and 21 years later retired as a department manager. Following retirement, they enjoyed 20 years in Annapolis, MD, making new friends and sailing the Chesapeake Bay. In addition to playing golf and bridge, Eleanor joined the New Annapolitans, a women’s group for newcomers that connected her to an art appreciation club. She and Joe enjoyed museum trips with the art club’s leader, including to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. 

Eleanor had a sense of adventure that Joe’s Army career fulfilled. She was the connector for their social life wherever they were. Always a gracious hostess, Eleanor was an imaginative cook and menu planner for their many dinner parties with dear friends. Eleanor was an excellent seamstress who honed her skills with sewing books and public television programs. After telling her 2 daughters to “just keep still!” to mark the hems for their dresses she made, they were eager to learn from Mom to sew for themselves. Years later, “Granny” took Abel and Ben to the fabric store to pick out a favorite flannel to sew them pajamas for Christmas. With her talent for decorating and ability to sew curtains, a new place became a new home in no time. Eleanor was savvy, frugal, and had good instincts for making their life-long friends. She managed the household and cared for their young daughters for a worry-filled year while Joe was deployed to Vietnam in 1964-1965. She also spent a year on her own while Joe was in South Korea when their daughters were in college.

 Eleanor and Joe took advantage of every opportunity to travel. While stationed in Germany at the time the Berlin Wall went up (1959-1962), they explored Bavaria and other NATO countries. There were family camping trips to national parks throughout the western United States. Eleanor flew to Hong Kong for a reunion with Joe who joined her from South Korea. Later, there were reunions with military friends in the US and Europe, as well as a trip to Australia and New Zealand. They paddled new waters when they made a self directed barge trip with sailing friends in the South of France. 

It was Eleanor’s lovely manner, kindness to others, and generous spirt that we will remember her by. 

Services will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date. 

Donations may be made to the Charlestown Scholarship Fund. Donate online at myerickson.erickson.com. Checks may be mailed to 719 Maiden Choice Lane, Catonsville, MD, 21228, Attn: Philanthropy. Please write in the memo line: In memory of Eleanor M. Stone. 

Donations would also be welcome to Gilchrist Hospice at Gilchristcares.org/donate. Checks payable to Gilchrist may be mailed to 11311 McCormick Rd., Hunt Valley, MD, 21031