“Ward Byron Stone Jr. loved life,” his children wrote in a tribute. “He valued all life from the smallest animal and plants to the largest animal in New York State that he worked with — Alces alces, the moose.

“He passed peacefully onto his next journey after making sure that his family and friends were going to be OK and the doctors and nurses who came across him in the last years were schooled on the value of his life and all others. He died with his family at his side on Feb. 8, 2023 with God awaiting.

“Ward’s deepest love and greatest achievement was his family. After having five strokes and cancer, he continued fighting for his life for more than 10 years to spend more time with his children. He is survived by his beloved children: Jonathan, Jeremiah, Montana, Ethan Alan, Thomas, and Emily.

“He showed them how to love the environment through fishing, hiking, and gardening and taught them that we all have a duty to protect it. They were his inspiration for everything and were his first thought and phone call every morning, afternoon, evening, and night. Ward also deeply loved his brother from a different mother and partner in good trouble, Lew Oliver, and Mary, his all-time best friend.

“Ward was born in Hudson, New York to Ward Stone Sr. and Nellie Smith. In his early years, he attended primary school at the Spencertown Academy — a two-room schoolhouse. Nestled right in the foothills of Columbia County, he has fond memories of spending his time out in nature, trout fishing and trapping along the Indian Brook, Punsit Creek, Green River, and Old Pond in Chatham, New York. His early passion for nature sparked his lifelong devotion to its conservation.

“At the age of 17, Ward attended the National Naval Medical School in Bethesda, Maryland earning the title of Navy Corpsman. During this time, he also was awarded the title ‘Honorman’ of his Navy Corpsman class. In his military career he was sent to the far east on the USS Breckinridge and US Daniel Sultan traveling to Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam earning several other notable naval commendations along the way. Ward was honorably discharged from the United States Navy.

“Ward attended Syracuse University on scholarship and became a member of the varsity debate team with the title ‘All-American Debater,’ which anyone who spoke with him could understand. In 1963, he graduated from Syracuse University earning a bachelor of science degree and a master of science degree in animal pathology and parasitology.

“Immediately after graduating, Ward earned the highest score on the New York State wildlife pathology Civil Service exam and became the New York State Wildlife Pathologist, a position he held for 42 years. He wrote over 200 scientific and popular publications, including in Science and Nature and has over 20,000 citations.

“He loved that his name was forever associated with West Nile Virus, of which he had a key role in identifying the virus and the means of its spread. His other accolades include numerous national and international awards for his scientific work, notably those from the national Sierra Club and Environmental Protection Agency.

“Ward spoke about wildlife and environmental pollution at more than 40 colleges and universities, 50 not-for-profit organizations, and even the United Nations Trustee Council and helped to educate hundreds of thousands about environmental issues. He also had a WAMC radio show called ‘In Our Backyard’ that reached hundreds of thousands of listeners in its 100-plus episodes. In 2003, Ward was also awarded a doctorate of science degree from the State University of New York for the culmination of his work. He was very proud.

“Ward was also proud of his connection and work with the Mohawk Nation, particularly in Akwesasne where he fought hand-in-hand with his friends like Tom Porter for clean water and land for the Mohawks. Ward was not a stranger to controversy and said, ‘I have been called a loose cannon, but I always know exactly where I am firing.’ Ward dedicated his life to the environment and the pursuit of truth, working tirelessly to protect our communities and the natural environment.

“Our family would like to extend their gratitude to the people who loved and admired Ward.”

****

Calling hours will be held on Monday, Feb. 13, 2023, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Meyers Funeral Home at 741 Delaware Ave. in Delmar, New York.

A celebration of life will follow on May 21, 2023, from 2 p.m. to dusk at the Henry Hudson Park Pavilion, just off of Route 144 on Barent Winnie Road in Selkirk, New York.

Memorial contributions may be made, his family wrote, “to organizations close to Ward’s heart”: Friends of Akwesasne Freedom School, Post Office Box 290, Rooseveltown, NY 13683; Columbia Land Conservancy, 49 Main Street, Chatham, NY 12037; or (in honor of his infant daughter Therese Rose who broke his heart when she died) Make-a-Wish Foundation.