W. Cornwell Stone

William Cornwell Stone, Jr. passed peacefully on September 26, 2021.He was born on October 22, 1927 in Chester, South Carolina. A graveside service will be provided on Saturday, October 2, 2021 at Old Purity Cemetery at 11:00 A.M. with Reverend Jason Myers officiating .The family will receive friends immediatelyfollowing the service at the graveside. Mr. Stone was the son of W. C. Stone, Sr. and Mary Love McLure Stone.Cornwell graduated from Chester High School in 1944.After one semester at Clemson College, he enrolled in the US Navy and served for 27 months.After he was honorably discharged, he attended the University of South Carolina.Due to his father’s illness, he returned to Chester and became president of Stone Insurance Agency, Inc.He was a Trusted Choice agent licensed in 1949.He was a member of the South Carolina Independent Insurance Agent’s Association Board and the National Independent Insurance Agent’s Association.Cornwell was a lifelong member of Purity Presbyterian Church in Chester where he served as Deacon, Elder, Sunday School Teacher, and Superintendent of Sunday School.He was a past president of the Old Purity Society and he served as Chairman of the grounds committee. A strong believer in community affairs, Cornwell was an active and participating member of many organizations: He served as a director of Peoples National Bank, past president of the Chester County Board of Commerce and Development, past president of Chester County Chamber of Commerce, one of three trustees of Wylie Park Property, and as Chairman of the blood donors commission for Red Cross, having given over 12 gallons of blood.He was a former member of the Chester Jaycees, the Exchange Club, Chester Rotary Club, Chester Fire District Commission, Chester Airport Commission, Chester County Library Board, Chester Historical Society, the Arts Council of Chester County, Chester Little Theater, and the Sons of Confederate Veterans.He served on the Chester County Election Commission for 27 years.Cornwell was an Eagle Scout and he served as a Scout Master.He enjoyed making an annual ski trip with good friend, Jerry Robertson, to the mountains of Colorado, Utah, Montana and Nevada.He skied western mountains until he was 88 years old. Cornwell and Eugenia Dudley were married at Mount Zion United Methodist Church in Central, South Carolina on November 8, 1958.They had three children, William Cornwell Stone, III (deceased), Mary Melissa (Mike)Lifsey and Hugh Dudley (Anne Hair) Stone.There are also four grandchildren, Mary Elizabeth and Matthew Morgan Lifsey, and William Hugh and Morgan Marie Stone.Cornwell had one brother, Halsted McLure (Mary Jo) Stone (deceased) and he is survived by two nephews, Halsted McLure Stone, Jr. and Dr. Samuel Rogers (Beverly) Stone of Chester, SC, and two great nephews, Marcus Hull (Pam) Stone, and Peter Rogers (Katherine) Stone also of Chester, SC. The family would like to acknowledge good friend and colleague Sarah Lee, for her many years of service to Cornwell and Stone Insurance Agency, Inc.She so aptly dubbed him, “King of the Hill” where his business is located in downtown Chester.Special thanks are also attributed to his caregivers, Beth Campbell and Julie McCormick. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Purity Presbyterian Church PO Box 278Chester, SC 29706 in memory of William Cornwell Stone, Jr. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.barronfuneralhome.com