Emily Stone Abbott
December 22, 2014
Date of Service: December 28, 2014
Interment Location: Garden of the Last Supper
Emily Revonda “Bonnie” Stone-Abbott, a southern “lady”, mother, family reader/speller, biscuit-cornbread and soup bean maker, died during the winter solstice, December 22, 2014. Born in War, West Virginia in 1923, the 7th of 9 children of Annie Cordella Gentry (1896-1968) and Clyde B. Stone (1894-1934), she made her way to the southern Appalachians where she worked in one of the first movie theaters in Elizabethton with her sister and longest friend, Frances Stone-Corbett. After graduating from high school in 1941, and during WWII, she worked at Holston Defense, in Kingsport, TN, where she met and married J.W. Abbott, II, on July 15, 1944. J.W. insisted that all of the family complete a college education including Emily, who was also called “Bamba” as grandmother. She completed her B.S. at East Tennessee State College in Business Administration (1956), while carrying her youngest daughter and raising a garden.
Bamba loved red roses, the color pink, and needlework, including embroidery, needlepoint, and crewel. Although she kept to herself, she loved her family, church and helpful caretakers above all else. She was a member and one of the original “church ladies” as an officer and volunteer of Munsey Memorial United Methodist Women’s Circle. She also participated in original Crewetts of the J.C. Rescue Squad.
Sometimes stubborn and determined she outlasted most of her friends at several assisted living facilities Four and Pine Oaks, Wellington Place, and Remington House. She played a wicked hand of Spite and Malice, loved puzzles and did the crosswords in ink. She continued to read novels to the end.
She was preceded in death by most of her siblings: Vester Hodge Stone, Wade Stone, Thelma Stone, Louise Stone, Frances Stone-Corbett, J.D. Stone, and Betty Jen Stone-Broyles; her husband J.W. Abbott, Jr. and step-daughter, Ginnie Abbott-Toncray
Those left to cherish her memory include her brother, Clyde (Rusty) Stone Jr.; children, John W. Abbott, III and wife Linda of Johnson City, R. Anne Abbott, Ph.D. and partner Sarah of Amherst Junction, WI, and Tina Marie Abbott, of Boone NC; nine grandchildren and two step-grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.
The family will receive guests to share memories on Sunday, December 28, 2014 from 12:00PM until 1:30PM at Tetrick Funeral & Cremation Services, Johnson City. A graveside service will immediately follow at Happy Valley Memorial Park, Elizabethton, TN with Rev. Michael Lester of Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church 201 E. Market Street, Johnson City, TN 37601.
Memories and condolences may be viewed and shared with the family at www.tetrickfuneralhome.com. Tetrick Funeral & Cremation Services, 3001 Peoples Street, Johnson City, TN 37604 (423)610-7171 is honored to serve the Abbott family.
