Obituary of Carole C. Stone

Carole C. Stone, 81, of Ashville, NY passed away on November 29, 2023, after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. She was born in Titusville, PA on September 6, 1942, the daughter of the late Betty M. and Gordon H. Carlson Sr. She graduated from Titusville Senior High School in 1961 and attended Jamestown Business School. She was employed as a Bookkeeper at New Process in Warren PA where she met and married Donald N. Gebhardt of Warren PA in January 1967. They had two children, Donald S. Gebhart and Christal M. Whitmore. They were divorced several years later, and she married Leo R. (Dick) Stone III of Ashville NY. She was employed at Mac Tools in Lakewood as a bookkeeper then they started a trucking company and spent many hours traveling the highways and byways of America together. When they weren't on the road, they were on the back deck of their house admiring the view of Chautauqua Lake. They spent many hours on the Lake enjoying boating and watching the sun set. After Dick died on June 30, 1999, she sold the trucking company and worked at WJTN Radio as a bookkeeper then as a Customer Service Representative for Best Buy. When she got tired of listening to people complain about their electronics problems, she went to work for Chautauqua County Department of Ageing helping older people getting Medicare and Medicaid assistance. She had a couple of passions in life, they were making ceramics, sewing, and embroidering and driving her bright yellow Volkswagen Beetle. She loved her "yellow Bug" and enjoyed driving around the Lake. Surviving is her son Donald S. Gebhardt of Ashville, NY; her daughter Christal M. Whitmore of Russell, PA; three brothers: Gordon H. Carlson Jr. (Joanne), of Titusville, PA. and The Villages, FL., Bradford S. Carlson of Erie, PA., and Steven C. Carlson (Trudy) of Hermitage, PA. and The Villages, FL; four grandchildren: Daniel Propheter (Ashley) of Pittsburgh, PA., Shaun Gebhardt (Julie) of Pittsburgh, PA., Amelia Whitmore of Buffalo, NY., and William Whitmore of Russell, PA. Besides her parents she was preceded in death by her two husbands. Carole was blessed with a longtime friend, Trish Monteleone. Everybody should be blessed with a friend like Trish, when Carole's Alzheimer's disease progressed to the point she couldn't drive her "yellow Bug" anymore, Trish took her everywhere, to go shopping, grocery shopping, to get her haircut and nails done, doctor's appointments, COVID and FLU vaccine shots and all the boosters, to take a ride to get her favorite ice cream and tour around the Lake and all her errands, and to get her a cup of coffee and a donut at Tim Horton's on the way to Trish's farm to enjoy the outdoors and watch the horses. Trish provided Carole with smiles, love, fun and laughs, something everyone needs but especially when fighting a terrible disease. Carole had good days and bad days, more bad days lately and Trish was right there helping her. She is a true friend, through thick and thin to the very end. We cannot thank her enough for her loyalty and friendship to our sister. Her son Don lived next door and helped his mom every day fixing her meals before and after work and seeing to her needs when Trish was not available. She will be missed by her many friends and family. May she rest in peace. No services will be observed at this time. Next Spring, her family will have a memorial service on her brother's boat and spread her ashes over her beloved Chautauqua Lake. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the National Audubon Society at https://www.audubon.org.