Richard M. Stone, formerly of North Brunswick, N.J., passed away on Monday, November 10, surrounded by his loving family at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center in Somerville, NJ, following a brief illness. Richard, or "Dick" as he was known to family and friends, was most recently a resident of Skillman, NJ, where he resided for the past four years. He was 81 years old. Born in Amsterdam, NY in 1933, Dick's life was marked by a deep-rooted passion for family, education, ice cream, bridge, current events and travel. Upon graduation from Amsterdam High School in1951, Dick began his studies at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, where he was a proud brother of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity. He graduated in 1955, but his ardent passion for Penn never once wavered and as recently as last week, he served as Chairman of the Secondary Schools Committee in New Jersey, which interviews prospective students on behalf of the University. After college, Dick married his beloved Alice Kantrow of Philadelphia, whom he met and began dating while he was at Penn, and embarked on the twin paths of raising a family and building a successful career in human resources. The bulk of his professional time was spent at the Equitable Life Assurance Society in New York City. He later forged a successful second career as a human resources consultant, advising leading companies on staffing, talent recruitment and retention strategies. A tireless advocate for public education, Dick served as President of the North Brunswick Township (NJ) Board of Education in the 1970s and he was instrumental in the formation of North Brunswick Township High School, which he helped open in 1975. His passion for education was also applied through his role on the Dean's Advisory Council for Alabama State University, one of the nation's oldest historically black colleges. Dick was also an avid player and teacher of bridge. His regular bridge games brought him much joy. Dick was fortunate to achieve one of his lifelong goals by attaining the rank of Life Master. Dick was predeceased by his wife Alice in 1982 and his brother, David, in 1995. He is survived by his brother, Peter (Thalia) of Morrisville, VT, his daughter Nancy (Paul Ward) of Montclair, NJ, son Robert (Tara) of Greenwich, CT and daughter Susan (Aaron Driben) of Philadelphia, PA. He also leaves to mourn eight grandchildren; Sam, Jack, Henry, Ali, Harry, Jacob, Sarah and Charlie, and several beloved nieces and nephews. A memorial service celebrating his extraordinary life is planned for Friday, November 28, 2014, 11:00 a.m. at The Club House at Tapestry, 20 Newbury Street, Skillman, NJ 08558