Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Robin “Leigh” Bates Stone, 58, joined God in paradise on March 7, at home in Michigan, surrounded by her family. She was married to Matthew D. Stone Sr. for 26 years, but they spent almost 30 total years bugging the crap out of each other.

Born in Farmville, she was the daughter of Robert Lee Bates and Doris Ann (Boyd) Bates. She graduated from Nottoway High School where, if you examine her actual records, attendance was apparently optional. She was employed at several places throughout her life, though two stand out. First on the list was being a single mom of two young boys, while also working as a corrections officer at Piedmont Regional Jail in Farmville, where she met and eventually married a funny medic also employed at the jail, the love of her life, Matt. The other notable workplace, and the longest joy of her life in both years and patience required, was being a stay at home mother for the two boys and the two hellions that she and that funny medic decided to create for some reason. Together, they tried, and succeeded for the most part, to raise four children, three boys and a little girl.

Robin was a member of Pathway Community Church in Brighton, Michigan. She enjoyed crocheting, saving tiny bottles to “make crafts with later”, watching Hallmark movies and repeatedly showing her favorite finger to her children and family. She will be remembered for her ability to throw anything into a pot and somehow create a five star dish Gordon Ramsey himself would praise, and the love and affection she showed to everyone around her, even if it was masked by sass and attitude. 

She is survived by her mother, Doris A. Bates; her sister, Peggy A. Lawson; her husband (the funny medic) Matthew D. Stone Sr.; her four children, Robert E. Crowder, Richard T. Crowder, Matthew D. Stone Jr. and Caroline A. Stone and her many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, yada, yada, yada. She is additionally survived by her pets, a bossy cat named Delilah and a pleasantly stupid dog named Moose.

She was preceded in death by her grandmother and her father.

There will be two separate memorials. The memorial in Michigan will be held at The Well Church, 2376 Genoa Business Park Drive, Brighton, MI 48114, on Saturday, March 26, at 1 p.m. There will be time for visitation and fellowship following the service.  

There will be a second memorial at Farmville United Methodist Church, 212 High Street, Farmville, VA 23901, on Friday, April 29, at 1:30 p.m., with time for visitation beginning at 1 p.m. Robin will be interred at Trinity Memorial Gardens in Rice, at 3 p.m.

We are choosing to honor Robin’s wish that no one wear black or be in formal attire at the services. She expressed the hope that attendees would wear casual clothes and happy colors to celebrate her life.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Sjogren’s Foundation at Sjogrens.org. A memorial contribution can be made on the website or may be sent to 10701 Parkridge Blvd, Suite 170, Reston, VA 20191.