Stoney is a proud Navy veteran and native Texan, though he points out he doesn’t own a pair of boots or a ten gallon hat! He served from 1962 to 1966, traveling throughout the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and Norway, and especially loved the Greek Isles. Although President Johnson conscripted sailors for Vietnam, Stoney was one of the lucky ones who didn’t have to go.
While in the Navy, he met Anita through a seaman working under him, named Larry. While supposedly following Stoney’s orders and writing to his Mom, Larry was actually writing to the girl next door, Anitia. As Stoney outranked Larry, he had to comply when Stoney asked for the girl’s address. He then wrote Anitia a twelve page letter—both sides. A second letter followed, complete with a stamped return-addressed envelope. Anita, a kindergarten teacher from Cannon Falls, wrote back, and a long distance romance began between her and Stoney, leading to their marriage on July 7, 1967.
After the Navy, Stoney worked as a pipefitter in Houston before moving north to Minnesota, so Anitia could be near her Mom. Over the years, he held many hands on jobs, including stints in refrigeration, making aperture screens, and boiler operation. Eventually, he became a utilities supervisor at 3M. He wasn’t supposed to get his hands dirty anymore, but he did anyway because he loved machinery.
Stoney and Anita raised four children—three boys and one girl—and he’s proud of the adults they’ve become. All went to college, built interesting careers, and gave him 12 grandchildren, including one who works with tigers in Africa. Anita passed away in 1997 at age 50, a loss he still carries with love.
For 37 years, Stoney was a dedicated Boy Scout leader, earning international awards and even taking boys camping in sub-zero degree weather. When his kids were young, he was known for spontaneous family road trips, a great sense of fun, and stories that got better every time he told them.
Today, he enjoys history and has over 120 books on Minnesota’s bygone days. He also enjoys good conversation, movies, and lunch outings, and he looks forward to connecting with a new friend. If you are a veteran, he’d love to swap service stories with you.
Please note that Stoney has firearms on his premises. However, they are not loaded, and he has no bullets for them. He intends to gift the guns to his son.
He also has a fabulous and very affectionate cat, named Sammy!
