Hugh Willie Stone II, affectionately known as Willie, and during his youth also known as Willie Campbell, passed away on August 17, 2026, in Akron, Ohio, at the age of 71. Born in Madisonville, Kentucky, Willie made Akron, Ohio, his home and built a life centered around family, hard work, laughter, adventure, and love.

Willie retired from Hygenic Corporation after more than 35 years of dedicated service. He was a hardworking provider who believed in showing up and doing what needed to be done. For Willie, that meant getting up at 4:00 in the morning—rain, sleet, snow, sick or well—and going to work because his family depended on him.

He was a man who could build, repair, or figure out almost anything. He worked on cars, appliances, furniture, houses, roofs, and electrical projects. He loved gadgets and technology and was ahead of his time with a car phone, camcorder, and home computer. He also appreciated antiques and artifacts and always seemed to have something new to figure out.

Willie loved fishing, especially in Fremont, nature, amusement parks, road trips, movies, gambling, creative projects, good food, and getting dressed up for a good event. A true Southern man, he loved seafood, fish fries, fried chicken, frog legs, and fried green tomatoes—and his family still remembers his frog legs and fried green tomatoes as the best.

Family was at the heart of Willie's life. He was the biological father of Willshana, Lamar, and Hughisha, but his role as a father extended far beyond biology. He helped raise Tremaine, Dwayne, Mara, Millie, Quentin, Marica, and Christopher, loving and teaching them as his own. Over the years, the distinction between biological and stepchildren became less important than the relationships themselves. To Willie, they were his children.

He was playful with his children and grandchildren, protective of his family, and always willing to teach them something useful. He passed down resilience, a strong work ethic, practical skills, and the confidence to figure things out.

Willie loved animals, good stories, funny movies, stand-up comedy, and making people laugh. He was a lifelong Steelers fan, although his family's devotion to the Cleveland Browns eventually appears to have softened his allegiance—there is even photographic evidence of Willie wearing a Browns sweatshirt.

He leaves to cherish his memory his children Willshana, Lamar, Hughisha(Dylan), Tremaine, Dwayne, Mara, Millie, Quentin, Marica, and Christopher; his siblings Carolyn, Diane, Robert(Dianne), Debbie, and Naomi; his grandchildren Jahia, Tremaine, Jeremy, Jai’lyn, Paige, Quantez, Isaiah, Shawn, James, Quendyn, Xavier, Rebecca, MarShawn, King, Adrian, Emerald,

Amora, and Jameson; his great-grandchildren; and many other relatives, friends, and loved ones.

He was preceded in death by Doris, with whom he shared nearly two decades of his life and family; Loretta; his parents, Hugh Willie Stone and Annette Cooke; his stepfather, Clifford Cooke; his grandmother Annie D; his sisters, Shirley and Nita; his beloved Uncle Frank and Aunt Les; and his close friend Zettie.

Willie's greatest legacy is the people he loved, the people he raised, the things he taught, the things he built, and the countless stories he left behind.

Rest well, Willie. You did your part.