A death

In Memoriam: Tom Stone

It is with great sadness that we wish to convey the passing of Tom
Stone on Saturday December 6, 2014, in his 68th year.  Tom was a
highly regarded leader in ethnographic conservation and has left an
indelible mark in the field of objects conservation in Canada and
beyond.

After graduation from Waterloo Lutheran University in 1970 with a
Bachelor of Arts degree, Tom developed his interest in conservation
during an archaeological dig in Israel.  His selection as a
participant into the "Conservators in Training Program", created
shortly after the CCI was created, was the start of a long, fruitful
career at the CCI as a practising conservator for over 20 years and
as Head of CCI's Objects, Archaeology and Furniture Sections for a
decade.  Tom was involved in the development and outfitting of CCI's
five Mobile Labs, a program (1979-1986) that had conservators
travelling by van across Canada to advise and assist local and
regional museums in the care and treatment of their collections.

Tom's love of the north and his deep respect for Aboriginal peoples
and their cultures was evident in his professional work:  one of his
foremost contributions to the field has been to have fostered
advancements in ethical issues, approaches and relations with
regards to the care and treatment of Aboriginal material culture.
This is best highlighted by two CCI landmark international events:
Symmposium 1986, "The Care and Preservation of Ethnological
Materials", for which Tom was on the organizing committee and a
Postprints editor; and Symposium 2007, "Preserving Aboriginal
Heritage: Technical and Traditional Approaches", a pivotal event in
the field, which he initiated and directed for over 4 years to
resounding success.  Tom's vision was to embody within the Symposium
itself, a respect and sharing of knowledge and expertise along with
honoring intangibles such as language, ceremony, feelings,
traditions and beliefs.  Tom also organised and hosted CCI's Inuit
Skin Preparation workshops in 1989 and 1993, held with Inuit experts
in Churchill, Manitoba.

Tom taught preventive conservation courses in Kenya and Ghana as
part of ICCROM's PREMA (Prevention for Museums in Africa), for which
he developed new and innovative didactic techniques and materials.
Tom also specialized in the care and treatment of precious metals,
coins and medals, carrying out treatments at CCI in this area as
well as providing workshops, advice and publications.

Tom's many years as a senior conservator or section manager provided
him with numerous opportunities for supervising, guiding or
mentoring many younger colleagues, a role he excelled in and
enthusiastically enjoyed.  Tom devoted some of his time as a
volunteer and advocate for the profession and its enhanced
professionalism, serving on boards of the Canadian Association of
Professional Conservators (CAPC) and of the Canadian Association for
Conservation (CAC, formerly IIC-CG).

Tom was an outstanding skier, a certified sommelier, an immensely
proud father of his two sons Michael and James, and a devoted
husband to his wife of 30 years, textile conservator Jan Vuori.
Above all, Tom was a gentle and thoughtful man, and a friendly and
dedicated colleague.  He will be missed. His obituary with a link to
the Guest Book is at:

    <URL:http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ottawacitizen/obituary.aspx?n=thomas-stone&pid=173401643#sthash.Nxr6BncS.dpuf>

Carole Dignard and Janet Mason
Canadian Conservation Institute


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 28:28
                 Distributed: Friday, December 12, 2014
                       Message Id: cdl-28-28-001
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