Maine Warden Rick Stone was remembered Wednesday as a dedicated and passionate outdoorsman.
Stone, 53, lost his fight with cancer Tuesday.
It was an especially trying day for the wardens who knew and had worked with Stone, who was named Game Warden of the Year in 2001. He patrolled the Lewiston area.
“It was a very sad day,” Warden Brock Clukey of Andover said Wednesday.
He said he worked with Stone for about 15 years.
“He was an excellent game warden and a great worker and he had an unbelievably positive attitude,” Clukey said.
Stone began his career as a game warden in February 1986. He was the longest-serving member of the Warden Service Dive Team and had a true passion for the outdoors, Maine Warden Service spokesman Doug Rafferty said in a news release.
“His attention to detail, his commitment to evidence control and his work in law development will always be remembered,” Rafferty said.
Stone was “an outstanding game warden, just very dedicated to the job and he always helped and taught all of the younger game wardens coming up through the ranks,” Clukey said.
He said Stone, who was on the Warden Service Dive Team his whole career, was “an excellent diver.”
Clukey said he didn’t work with Stone every day because Clukey covered the northern zone of western Maine while Stone worked out of the Poland area.
“Rick was a good father,” Clukey said. “He had six kids and a great wife and he worked hard his whole career.”
Rafferty said the Warden Service was second only to the love Rick had for his wife, Cindy, and his children, Isaac, Rebekah, Samuel, Nicholas, Kyle and Chris.
“I just can’t say enough about him,” Clukey said.
Rafferty also said Stone was very “press friendly.” Rafferty recalled a time when he was working as a reporter and news anchor at WGME-TV and Stone helped him with a story on night hunting, taking Rafferty and a videographer into the woods.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Decorated Lewiston game warden remembered
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Sincere condolences to Warden Stone’s wife and children, and to fellow law enforcement. Not that it’s easy to loose a loved one any time of year, but with all the holidays approaching, it makes the loss especially bittersweet. I hope each of you will carry his love and your best memories close to your hearts, and find comfort in knowing that after such an illness, he is not suffering any longer.
Thank you for your service, Warden Stone, and RIP.
RIP Warden Stone and heart felt condolence to his wife, Cindy and children. I am so sorry to read that Warden Stone lost his battle to cancer after a long hard fight of your entire family. I hope you take solace that he is no longer in pain and suffering and that one day you will all be reunited in the after life. Thank you Warden Stone for your dedication and love of the nature in our great state and you will never be forgotten.
So sorry to hear of his passing. Our thoughts and prayers to Warden Stone’s family and friends.
I met Warden Stone back in 1986 on a dirt road in South Paris back in 1986 when I and my hunting buddy, both former police officers, were deer hunting. We talked with him for almost an hour and shared coffee. I could tell then that he was both a fine Warden and a truly fine human being. I will call it genuine confidence and professionalism, with a smile. May you rest in peace Warden Stone, as we were all better off with you around.
End of watch, RIP Sir.
OMG I’m so sorry to hear about this! It wasn’t that long ago when there was a bone marrow drive in his honor and I was so hoping that a match would be found in time to save that poor man’s life. This is so sad! My sympathies go to his family.
Warden Rick Stone was one of Maine’s all-time finest wardens. Every time I ever met this warden while hunting or fishing, it was a pleasurable and most enjoyable experience. My condolences to his family.