NORFOLK—James Wesley “Buddy” Stone III, 89, peacefully passed away at a hospital in Mechanicsville on Monday, May 19, 2025. Buddy was born in Norfolk to James Wesley Stone Jr. and Virginia “Gee Gee” Flora Stone.
He graduated from Maury High School and attended William and Mary extension (ODU), followed by VPI, where he was a cadet.
He is survived by his wife, Pamela of nearly 55 years; and his four children, Cindy Linkenhoker, Rick Stone (Kathy), Glenn Stone (Linda) and Ashley Kennedy (Joe). He has five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Betty Stone Foster of Florida, including her two children, James Foster and Joy Foster Litton (Steve).
Buddy loved boating, both power and sail, water skiing, snow skiing and bird hunting, He was an avid golfer.
Early in his career, Buddy worked for the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), where he was instrumental in procuring land in North Dakota for the Minute Man Missile sites. He was fond of telling the family about the time he stopped at a gas station in North Dakota and asked the attendant: “Where’s the head?” The man replied “he went down the road a piece,” obviously not realizing that Buddy meant the bathroom, as ‘head’ is a boat’s toilet. He returned to Norfolk to work with his father as a real estate broker. Although he was a broker, he preferred appraising and spent the rest of his career as a residential real estate appraiser until he retired in 2000.
In 1985, Buddy sailed the TransAt Race from Florida to Bermuda with his wife Pam and their esteemed crew, winning first place in his boat’s class. He loved sailboat racing almost as much as his many German Shepherds.
For years, Buddy was a member of First Lutheran Church in Norfolk, where he served as a deacon until moving to the Northern Neck.
In addition, he was a lifelong member of Norfolk Yacht & Country Club, and a former member of Yankee Point Yacht Club, Rappahannock River Yacht Club and Indian Creek Yacht & Country Club.
The family will receive friends from 10-11 a.m. Friday, June 6, at H.D. Oliver Funeral Apartments, 1501 Colonial Avenue, Norfolk. A graveside service will follow at 11:45 a.m. at Forest Lawn Cemetary, 8100 Granby Street, Norfolk.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Animal Welfare League of Northern Neck (AWL), a “no kill” facility, awlnnk.org. Online condolences may be offered to the family at hdoliver.com.
