In the words of friend Mike McCloud, "The BBQ community mourns today. The embers of one of our greatest, Papa Tony Stone, have quietly burned out. Long live the flame that he put in all of our hearts.  It's going to be a hard week this week leading up to one of the best and oldest contests around that Tony had built-up.  He will truly be missed." 

Frederick Anthony (Tony) Stone can be seen talking about some of his passions in this youtube video.

Services for Stone, 74, of Cookeville, will be held today at 1 p.m. (Monday, Sept. 5) at Crest Lawn Funeral Home. According to his family, Stone passed away peacefully Saturday, Sept. 3, 2011, at his home.

Born Aug. 4, 1937, in Columbia to the late Fred and Louise Richardson Stone, "Tony" was a graduate of Tennessee Tech University, where he played and coached football, later becoming an athletic Hall of Fame inductee. He served as mayor of Cookeville from 1987-1989 and also served a term as Cookeville Regional Medical Center Board Chairman.

Stone's passion for cooking brought joy to many. He served on the board of the Kansas City Barbeque Society from 2002-2007, serving as president of the board from 2005-2007. He served his community and his barbecue graciously.  His service was recognized at the 2010 Jack Daniels Invitational by being awarded the Fed Gould Memorial Volunteer Award, as well as having a barbeque competition named in his honor in Holland this past year.

Stone and his brother Harold were successfully in business for many years, believing that one should give back to the community that has given them so much. According to family and friends, he raised his family with this philosophy. 

His family includes two daughters and sons-in-law, Melinda and Randy Keifer and Julie and Danny Lee, all of Cookeville; four granddaughters, Christy Ann Lee, Mary Amanda Keifer, Kaitlyn Beth Lee and Emily Stone Keifer, all of Cookeville; a brother and sister-in-law, Harold and Carolyn Stone and family; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Stone was preceded in death by his wife, Ada (Mama Dean) Stone.

In recognition of his success as both a player and coach, and for his contributions to the Golden Eagle athletics program and Cookeville community, Tony Stone was inducted into the Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.

"Stone’s playing and coaching career, from high school through college, is entwined with numerous men who have also been enshrined in the TTU Sports Hall of Fame, so he takes his place among peers." said TTU.

Stone was reportedly a walk-on member of the TTU football team in 1955, playing for coach Wilburn Tucker.  Promoted to varstiy, he was part of two OVC championships in 1955 and 1958.

He coached high school football for seven years before returning to TTU as a defensive secondary coach and his secondary led the nation in pass interceptions with an OVC record of 30 picks in 1972.

David Francis was quoted in the induction ceremony has saying  “Coach Stone was a great teacher of the game,” Francis said. “He coached mental and physical toughness. He always set a great example for his players to follow. The lessons I learned from coach Stone and TTU continue to be a large part of my life today.”

Pallbearers will be family and friends and messages may be left here in response to this article or on the Crestlawnmemorial.com online guest book.
 
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Kansas City Barbeque Society Foundation, 11514 Hickman Mills Dr., Kansas City, MO 64134 or the Tony Stone "Bumble" Football Endowment, TTU Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505