James Michael Stone was born July 22, 1949 and passed away from coronary artery disease on June 13, 2017 at the age of 67. He was an only child, born in Long Beach, Calif, of Hawaiian and Samoan descent, where he was adopted by James and Jewel Stone. Mike’s childhood was spent between the Phoenix area of Arizona and visits to his large extended family in La Mesa, Texas. He and his mother moved to Orange County when he was 16, and then he moved to Arcata in 1970 to attend Humboldt State University, residing in McKinleyville the past 40 years.

As a young man, Mike loved football, playing Defensive Tackle at Orange Coast College and Humboldt State University. He had survived polio as a child and dedicated himself to weightlifting most of his life.

Mike devoted his adult life to law enforcement and the communities he served throughout Humboldt County. He began as a Correctional Deputy at the county jail in 1971, and after attending the College of the Redwoods Police Academy,was promoted to Deputy Sheriff. Over a career that spanned some 40 years, he worked for the County of Humboldt on patrol, as a beach deputy, on the Marijuana Task Force, in investigation, on the Drug Task Force, in airport security, as extra help in the courts and on the Arson Task Force and SWAT Team.

For a short period of time he was the owner of Roger’s Market in McKinleyville, but he returned to police work, first as a woods patrolman for Simpson Timber Company and then as the first Trinidad City Police Officer. He retired in 2011, as an investigator in the District Attorney’s Office. Up to the day of his death, Mike continued as extra help in the courts, in airport security and also transporting prisoners and working courts for the Federal Marshall’s Office.

When not at work, or triaging calls on criminal activity from neighbors, family and friends, Mike loved nothing better than to hang out in a coffee shop visiting friends and making connections in the community. He loved to read, and one of his favorite travels was to Powell’s Books in Portland, Ore.

Mike traveled to Mexico, Canada, Panama, Germany and Austria, and drove through the Yukon and Alaska. He loved SCUBA diving and snorkeling in Hawaii and southern Thailand and traveled all over the mainland US. Most recently he and Elizabeth spent a month with friends, visiting Italy and Switzerland.

Mike is survived by his son, Todd, daughter-in-law, Rosemary Loftis, two grandchildren, Kai and Stella Stone, by son Brent Stone, their mother Kathy and her extended family, his son Roy Partch and his mother Merilea Partch, and by his beloved friend, Elizabeth Norton.

Mike’s wish was to have family scatter his mother and father’s ashes with his, without services or memorials. We, his family, have been so honored by the response of the county to Mike’s passing! If you wish to further honor Mike’s life, please make a tax deductible donation to the Humboldt Area Foundation, 363 Indianola Road, Bayside, CA 95524 in memory of Mike Stone. This money will fund scholarships for unaffiliated College of the Redwoods Police Academy cadets.

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The obituary above was submitted by Mike Stone’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here.