John Stone Tribute

Ron Davis told me the sad news Wednesday morning. Others have written posts about Stoner. Here's mine.

Stoner's Flickr profile lists his interests as "science, photos, bad poker players with lots of money." I love his response for favorite books and authors: "Books?? I was born in Texas, and live in Springfield -- get serious -- ."

The man flew several-million-dollar fighter jets, was a biologist and geneticist, but couldn't spell worth a damn. I ribbed him about that. He knew he couldn't spell, and didn't care. And that explains John Stone. He knew who and what he was, and he didn't care what other people thought about him. To the people who mattered, his flaws weren't important. And the people who thought his flaws were important didn't matter.

I admired Stoner's love of photography. He loved taking and sharing photos with everyone. His Flickr account contains nearly 3,500 photos. Some are flawed, some are quite beautiful.

Stoner did "still life" photography.


He shot sunrises.



He took photos of flowers;



birds;


"yardrats;"


and cemeteries.


He took photos of the study animal for his Master's degree, cryptobranchus alleganiensis. We know it as the hellbender. Stoner called it "gawd's ugliest animal."


But more than any other subject, Stoner liked taking photos of people.

He was a big fan of college volleyball.


He liked to photograph young people,


and pretty women,


especially if he was in the photo with them.


He even enjoyed photographing bloggers drinking Liberally.


Stoner was very proud of his Flickr Pro Photographer card.


And I am very glad to have known him. Farewell, Stoner.