Michael L. Stone

For most of his adult life, Mike Stone alternatively traveled the world as a journalist and proponent of indepedent media.  His final dateline reads Rock Island, Ill., March 20, 2018.  Passing at the time of the spring equinox does not fit a man who seldom took the middle road.

Residing in Moline at the time of his death, Mike called many places throughout the world home.  His last foreign address was Vienna, Austria where he worked for the OSCE, an organization devoted to overseeing government treatment of journalists. Other places Mike plied his trade include Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, North Viet Nam, Mexico and Belarus. While in Kyrgyzstan, he established a printing organization committed to printing independent papers, in opposition to the local dictator.   His work was of enough importance that a story on page one of "The Wall Street Journal" lauded his efforts.   That article, published on February 25, 2005, also included the sketch of Mike seen above.

Having graduated from United Township HS in 1970, Mike went on to get his bachelors degree from Monmouth College, a law degree from Notre Dame, and finally, graduate coursework in Journalism from at University of Missouri.  At UTHS he served as an athletic manager, and could be found roaming the sidelines as the UT mascot, "Pete the Panther."

From his birth on November 13, 1952 until after his graduation from Monmouth College, Mike was a resident of Campbell's Island, where he cultivated a love of baseball. He and his island croneys even converted a weed covered lot into a ball field. His passion included a lifetime affair with the Chicago White Sox; a passion severely tested when the Sox traded Luis Apparichio.

Left to carry on the "Stoney" legacy are his son Robert (Tiffany) along with their daughter Aimee who reside in Englewood, Colorado. Besides the many people throughout the world whose lives' Mike touched, his life story includes special friends: Jennifer Jarrett of Colorado, as well as Laura VanDeGeest Burke and his Little League teammate Scott Stephens, both of Rock Island.  Mike was preceded in death by his father Robert and mother Marjorie.

In the jargon of journalists, Mike has "put to bed" his last story.  But, what a story the son of a Mississippi River fisherman has written.

A celebration of Mike’s life will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 24th, at ICONS Martini Bar, 124 18th Street, Rock Island. Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory is assisting the family with arrangements.

Memorials may be made to the family for his granddaughter’s education.

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