Blane Ashley Stone, a junior psychology major from Valdosta, died unexpectedly on Jan. 1, 2023.

Stone was a member of Abundant Life Church of God. She enjoyed singing and acting. She also adored her 4-year-old daughter, Blithe Beck.

A GoFundMe campaign was organized by close friends of Stone’s that is going to be used to purchase a memorial for her daughter and family to visit. The remainder of the funds will go into a savings account for her daughter’s future.

The GoFundMe was set for a goal of $800 and has quickly surpassed that goal by a whopping 344%, ending with $2,755 for the memorial and savings account.

Friends remembered Stone as a caring and kind person.

“She was just fun,” Hannah Steel, a friend of Stone’s from high school, said. “She was always the most fun person in the room, always trying to make someone else laugh. She was always herself, never needed or tried to be anyone else for anyone else.”

Steel also mentioned an early story from high school where Stone would sing and rap in class when given a beat, but nobody knew that she pre-wrote these songs. People would be shocked, thinking it came from the top of her head.

“She was a very special young woman and was very hands-on with Blithe,” Kathy Waltz, her mother, said. “She was able to balance school and motherhood well, with help from her village.”

A celebration of life was held on Jan. 10. A full obituary may be found at https://bit.ly/3k9ayQ8. Kind words, expressions of sympathy and memories of Stone’s time at VSU may be sent to the following:

Family of Blane Ashley Stone

201 Highland Heights Dr.

Valdosta, Georgia 31602

Written by Madison Gruber, Editor-in-Chief.