Chester Samuel Stone III ... enjoyed farming; at 82

ROCHESTER - Chester Samuel Stone III, 82, of Rochester, died peacefully on Nov. 14, 2023, surrounded by his loving family and friends.

He was a hardworking man of faith, affectionately known as "Stoney" to all who knew him. Stoney was definitely one-of-a-kind. He was strong-willed and stubborn at times but also had a caring heart, a wonderful sense of humor, and a flair for storytelling. He was clever and full to the brim with talent and knowledge. He was a skilled carpenter, woodworker, and painter- he could fix or build anything! Amazingly, Stoney was completely self-taught in everything he did and had a genuine, lifelong love of learning. He was creative and artistic - and boy could he cook! Stoney's greatest pleasure was farming and gardening. Although Stoney's story began in Gloucester, Mass., he lived most of his life on a small gentleman's farm in Hamilton, Mass., where he and his wife, Vicki, raised their family - as well as a menagerie of animals. He was an avid horseman and enjoyed raising and training his Appaloosas and Belgian draft horses. In addition, Stoney had a fondness for sharing his wealth of knowledge, talents, and stories with anyone interested in listening, especially while sipping a cup of coffee - as everyone who knew Stoney knew that coffee was his favorite food group. And every now and then, between cups of coffee, he'd pull out his harmonica and play an impressive little ditty just for fun. Honestly, there wasn't anything he couldn't do!

As the oldest of 13 children - to say Stoney has a huge family is quite an understatement! It would take pages to list everyone he leaves behind. So, to keep it short and sweet, let's say, most importantly, he is survived by his three children, Debbie, Scott, and Stephen {Ruth}. Six grandchildren: Jared, Gabrielle, Mikayla, Alyssa, Sarah, and Cameron. And two great-grandsons. Stoney is also survived by two brothers: Raymond and John. Four Sisters: Gloria, Diane, Kathleen, and Roberta, and loads of nieces, nephews, and cousins...just too many to count! Not to mention a bunch of wonderful friends!

Stoney also lost many loved ones throughout his life and was predeceased by his granddaughter, Hailey. His brothers: Gene, Ronald, Bobby, and Danny, and sisters: Beverly and Marion also preceded him in death. All are greatly missed.