Donna J. Stone was born on February 23, 1933, and passed away on December 12, 1994. She was an American poet and someone who helped others through charitable work. Many of her poems were published separately before and after her death. She also wrote a book of poetry called Wielder of Words: A Collection of Poems. This book, edited by her younger son, won several awards and was named the American Poetry Society's 1991 Book of the Year.

Stone created the Matthew J. Pascal Foundation, a family-run charity named after her oldest son.

Early life

Donna Stone and her brother were raised near Bexley, Ohio, a wealthy neighborhood in Columbus. They lived in a family with strict rules and German heritage. As a child, Donna experienced two serious illnesses called rheumatic fever, which caused her to be unable to leave her bed for several months at a time. During this time, she received lessons from private teachers and was recognized as a smart student. Her education was not affected by her health issues. She later told a biographer that her love for writing began during these times of sickness and loneliness.

Donna’s health improved, and she became a young woman who was considered attractive. She met and married her first husband, John Pascal, a writer and someone who wanted to become a playwright. His later work included the Broadway musical George M!. The couple had a son and moved to New York. While John worked as a journalist and published books, Donna focused on raising their son and helping with his career. She also briefly worked as a fashion model, which she later described humorously to an interviewer. Their young son became very sick, and although he survived, he was not completely healthy. The marriage eventually ended.

Philanthropy

During a challenging period, Pascal began a new phase in her life. She became an active supporter of the newly formed Association for Retarded Children, starting a long career helping children and raising funds for charitable causes. Her work often involved more than just giving money or managing tasks. For example, she helped reveal the mistreatment of children with disabilities at Willowbrook State School in New York, a facility Senator Robert F. Kennedy once called a "snake pit." In an interview, Pascal explained that she entered the school by pretending to be a recent graduate of social work and spent several days in the school's less attended areas. She then shared her findings with reporters, as did others. After widespread media coverage, including an award-winning TV series by Geraldo Rivera, the school was eventually shut down by the state.

Pascal later married L. E. Stone, a former pilot who worked in real estate. Donna J. Stone continued her charitable efforts, later joining the National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse. The Stones had one child, and because of L.E. Stone's business, the family moved from New York to a suburb of Dallas. The Association for Retarded Children also relocated its headquarters to Dallas, and Donna Stone remained an active supporter. Years later, she created the Matthew J. Pascal Foundation, a private family organization named after her older son.

Poetry

Stone began writing seriously in Texas. Although she tried writing stories, she loved poetry more. Her early poems were published in local newspapers and small magazines. Later, her work appeared in poetry magazines and journals from poetry societies, some of which received awards and recognition. On her mother's 75th birthday, Stone wrote a poem for her, which was published in the local newspaper. The newspaper's parent company shared the poem with many other newspapers, and "Mother at 75" became Stone's most well-known poem.

A book titled Wielder of Words: A Collection of Poems was published next. The author's acknowledgments explain that the title came from a poem written by her younger son as a birthday gift. The book included poems such as "Another Autumn," "Remembering," and "Mother at 75." Stone did not keep any profits from the book and gave copies to schools, libraries, literacy programs, and poetry societies. One school used the book as a textbook, and the American Poetry Society named Wielder of Words their 1991 Book of the Year.

Final years

The health problems caused by Donna J. Stone's serious childhood illness began to cause difficulties, and her health worsened again. However, she kept writing, and during her later years, she wrote some of her most famous poems, such as "Changing Seasons" and "Of Matt and Me," which is considered her most well-known and personal work.

Donna J. Stone passed away due to heart failure at her home in Texas. She was 61 years old. With the help of American Mothers, Inc., her children created the Donna J. Stone National Literary Awards to honor her memory. Several writers and poets, who are also mothers, have received support through this program. Many of Stone's poems are still being published. A few of them are available on the Wielder of Words website, which is free for the public to access.