AUBURN — Anita C. Stone, 81, a resident of Schooner Estates passed away Monday, Jan. 15, surrounded by her loving family at the Hospice House in Auburn. She was born Aug. 19, 1936, in Lewiston, daughter of the late Antoinette Levasseur (Sirois) and Arthur C. Raymond Sr., stepfather Marcel Levasseur.

Anita married James Stone Sr. in 1953, and together they had four children. She attended Lewiston schools and graduated from Bernard’s School of Hair Fashion in 1967. Anita and Jim owned and operated a family pizza business, Krissy’s Pizza, in the late ‘50s early ‘60s. Throughout her life, she was employed at Zayre’s Department Store and various shoe manufacturers as a stitching room supervisor, including Auerbach, Falcon, Timberland and Etonic Footwear where she retired from the industry. On weekends, you could find Anita cooking alongside her daughter Sandy at one of her restaurants, Nichols Lunch and Leones.

Our sweet Mom devoted her life to nurturing the amazing loving family that she created. It was her children, family and friends that she cherished most. Anita was kind, compassionate and had a generous heart of gold and was always asking “how can I help.” In her spare time, she enjoyed many types of cooking. One dish in particular was making her famous secret recipe, “Lobster Pie,” to give to family and friends. She also enjoyed sewing, playing cards, chatting and making people laugh, crafting with pictures and garage sales. She was an incredible woman, mother and role model and she will be sadly missed by all who knew her. Mom, the day your beautiful heart stopped beating is the day our hearts broke in two. You will forever be in our hearts and your legacy lives on in each and every one of us.

Anita is survived by her four children, Sandy Nichols and husband, Jerry, of Lewiston, Richard Stone and wife, Rose, of Auburn, Debra Harris and husband, Mike, of Hartford and James Stone and wife, Sherry, of South Thomaston. She is also survived by her devoted brother Arthur C. Raymond Jr. of Lewiston and her loving sister Shirley Cozenza of Florida; 14 grandchildren, Angela Garrison, Scott Mathieu, Daniel Stone, Tasha York, Michelle Verducci, Jason Jordan, Amy Van Paepeghem, Samantha Sardinha, Laura Gilliam, Richard Stone, Timothy Smith, Ryan Harris, Darcey Boucher, Chris Nichols; 12 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, James Stone Sr., and her brother Henry Raymond.

The family would like to extend a special thank-you to those who helped our Mom through her journey these past few years and in her final days: wonderful caring staff at Schooner Estates, CMMC M4, Hospice House of Auburn; and health care providers Mary Ellen Davis and Dr. Flanagan.

Online condolences and sharing of memories may be shared at www.lynchbrothers.com.

Anita C. Stone