G. Z. “Peaches” Stone
G. Z. “Peaches” Stone, of Groesbeck, passed away at Ascension Providence Hospital in Waco, on Sunday, August 21, 2022, at age 94.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, from 6:00- 8:00 p.m. at Groesbeck Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 25, 2022, in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Brother Richard Williams of the Church of Christ of Groesbeck officiating. Burial will follow in Criswell Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Calvin Flowers, Chad Flowers, Kenneth Almy, Chance Vaughn, Robert Deen Rader, and Jim Slaughter. Honorary pallbearers will be Henry Burnett, Claude Downes, Jr. and Rand Bates.
G. Z. was born on June 20, 1928, to Charles C. and Shirley Mae Stone in the Little Elm community of Limestone County. He was born at home, one of 9 children. He quickly earned the nickname of “Peaches” because of his love to go to his grandparents’ peach orchard. He grew up on the family farm and graduated from Ben Hur high school in 1945.
After high school, Peaches farmed until he enlisted in the U. S. Air Force, where he was an Airman First Class. He did not have to leave the state, serving at Wichita Falls as an aircraft mechanic instructor. He served from 1950 through 1955 and then in the Air Force Reserves until 1959, when he was honorably discharged. Peaches then returned home to continue farming and ranching.
Peaches was united in marriage with Patricia Lenoir on June 5, 1959, in Groesbeck. They had been introduced by John Deen and Barbara Rader and a few months later Peaches went to Dallas
where Patricia was living and working, to “bring her back home.” Peaches and Patricia shared the same birthday (although not the same year of birth.) They made their home in Otto for nine years, then moved back home to the family farm at Little Elm. They later moved to Groesbeck where he currently resided. Although his health began to decline, he continued to go to the family farm, which has been in the Stone family for generations, every day up until a few days before his death. Peaches remained in the cattle business until he sold his last cows last month.
Peaches and Patricia attended the Southside Church of Christ of Groesbeck earlier in their life, then the Mart church, and when they moved to Groesbeck, they were both baptized at the same time and remained faithful members of the Groesbeck Church of Christ.
Peaches was a founding member of the McClanahan Riding Club in Falls County. Peaches served the people of Limestone County in a political career for 31 years, during which time he was on the Groesbeck ISD School Board and the County Farm Bureau Board for some years. He was elected to the U.S. Department of Agriculture – ASCS County Committee for 9 years, before he ran and was elected as Limestone County Commissioner. He served four terms as Precinct 3 Commissioner, from 1989 through 2004, and he absolutely enjoyed the people he met and served. The grandchildren knew that on every Sunday afternoon they would be riding the roads with Papa while he was looking over the needs of his precinct.
Peaches liked socializing with friends and family. He and Patricia held an annual “Shed Party” for over twenty-five years, where everyone was invited, usually with over 100 in attendance. He also enjoyed the Stone Family reunions and the Criswell Cemetery Memorials, and also served on the cemetery’s Board of Directors for many years. Peaches was a strong family man and was dearly loved and respected by all.
Peaches was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Larry Randell Stone in 1970; and his siblings and in-laws: Marshall and Joyce Stone, Charles, Jr. and Eunice Mae Stone, Louise and J. E. Ray, W.N. and Bernadette Stone, Maxine Smith, Jack Stone, Blanchard (Doc) LeNoir, Mary and Erwin Breitkreutz, Buena and W.L. Bennett and other extended family.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Patricia of Groesbeck; daughters and sons-in-law, Jenny and David Flowers of Groesbeck, Jerri Lu and Emory Almy of Groesbeck, and Julie and Jim Gardner of Gatesville. Grandchildren include: Chad Flowers, Calvin and wife Jamie Flowers, Kenneth Almy, Jamie and husband Chance Vaughn, Kinsey Gardner and Kinlee Gardner. He is also survived by greatgrandchildren: Jaylin, Karlee, James, Wiley, Savannah, Callaway and Charli. Surviving siblings and in-laws are B.K. and Alta Stone, Martha Ann LeNoir, Martha Hawkins Stone, and Travis Smith. Also surviving are numerous nieces and nephews and great nieces and great-nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Criswell Cemetery, c/o Barbara Fox, 1400 E. Navarro, Mart, TX 76664 Visit www. groesbeckfuneralhome. com to leave messages of condolence on the guestbook.