B.J. Stone, DCEG Statistician and Mathematician, Dies at Age 80
, by DCEG Staff
B.J. Stone
B.J. Stone, Ph.D., esteemed colleague in the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics for 36 years, died August 29, 2015, three years after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Dr. Stone was perhaps most well known for her superior talents as a scientific editor. Although she was a statistician and mathematician in the Biostatistics Branch, Dr. Stone was sought out by colleagues across the Division to consult on the writing of critical scientific manuscripts. She was a precise, creative and insightful analyst who developed novel solutions to difficult problems. With her extraordinary problem-solving skills, she also provided substantial testing of new computer programs and algorithms before their general release to other analysts. She participated as a co-author on many scientific papers as well. In 1991, Dr. Stone received the NIH Award of Merit and the NIH Director's Award in 1994.
Dr. Stone received her undergraduate degree with honors from Swarthmore College and her doctorate from Stanford University, both in mathematics. Prior to coming to NCI, Dr. Stone worked in the private sector, including stints at the RAND Corporation and the National Planning Association. From 1967-68, she taught mathematics at Harvey Mudd College in Pomona, California.
After her retirement from NCI in 2010, Dr. Stone and her husband relocated to California where she became a cherished member of the La Costa Glen retirement community. While there she sang in several different choral groups, regularly had singing, dancing and speaking roles in the La Costa Glen theatre performances, led community sing-alongs and participated in several book clubs.
Dr. Stone’s DCEG colleagues, as well as friends from all aspects of her life, remember her as exceptionally compassionate, generous with her talents, sensible, and quite unflappable.