94, of Newton after a brief illness. Beloved husband of the late Pearl (Itkin) Stone. Beloved son and only child of Philip and Mary (Silverman) Stone of Brookline. Father of James and his wife Rose of Bolton, Carolyn and her husband David Lilien of Irvine CA, and David and his wife Joan of Milford. Survived by 11 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Paul was born in late 1919 in Boston during the Great Influenza epidemic. His middle name of Mitchell was after Mitchell Freiman, an early director of the West End House boys club in which Paul’s father Philip was very active. Mitchell died in the epidemic. Paul attended the Boston Public Schools, including Boston Latin School and graduated from Boston University in 1941. He passed the CPA exam in 1942 on his first attempt. In 1943 Paul joined the US Navy and served in the Central Pacific during the Second World War as an officer on board the Destroyer Escort U.S.S. Waterman (DE 740). The Waterman was awarded 8 battle stars, far more than the average Destroyer Escort. He and his ship experienced the historic Typhoon Cobra of 1944 (after viewing the movie “Perfect Storm” he declared that the movie’s storm sequences “weren’t scary enough.”) He was discharged in 1946. Paul was proud of his military service and maintained contact with many shipmates over the years. He was an active member of DESA (Destroyer Escort Sailors Association) and one of the oldest surviving officers. Soon after the war, Paul received his Law degree at Northeastern in 1949, under the GI Bill, and began his own Accounting business, originally in Boston then Newton and eventually Natick. He grew the business organically and by acquisition over the years into what is now known as the firm of Stone and Paul. Always active in professional organizations, he was a Mason (Everett C. Benton Lodge, in Boston) and an active member of the Rotary Club of Newton for over 30 years. Services will be private; donations can be made to The Rotary Foundation, 14280 Collections Center Dr., Chicago, IL 60693 – www.rotary.org
