Mei Stone, a lifelong Greenwich resident and vibrant mother, friend, and colleague, died of brain cancer on December 8, 2020. She was 60.
A source of light in any room, Mei was the middle of three daughters of Louisa H. Stone and the late Emerson L. Stone.
She was known for her passion, generosity, hard work, and good looks. Born Melisande Grace Stone, she had high cheekbones, green-blue eyes, and blond hair; she turned heads throughout life and initially pursued a career in retail fashion.
Fluent in French and a lover of fine food, she had a flair for living that attracted a large circle of friends around Greenwich, at her beloved alma mater Northwestern, and in France, the home of her ex-husband, the late Maurice Versailles, original owner of Versailles Patisserie in Greenwich.
With him, she raised four children, who went through the Greenwich Public Schools as she had. During their childhood, she devoted herself to expanding their horizons through travel, language, and experience. Mei’s second career began in the 2000s when she developed bookkeeping-organizing skills and established a business with clients across Fairfield and Westchester counties.
She was a longtime subscriber to the Greenwich Classic Films Series and enjoyed movies and sports—especially tennis—as entertainment. An ardent competitor herself, she also regularly practiced yoga and traveled to Costa Rica for an extended retreat.
Her biggest ambition in her final year was to hold a celebration with family and friends as she turned 60, but the party was scrapped because of coronavirus restrictions.
Instead, many friends visited her at home, creating a months-long series of happy moments. She retained close ties with college friends, especially from her Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and frequently entertained and visited them.
After learning her diagnosis, she arranged several cross-country group trips to concerts, but those, too, were canceled by the pandemic.
As Mei’s health declined, her sisters, children, mother, niece, nephew, some close friends, and an aide provided care.
Mei leaves her beloved children: Julien, who owns a tennis academy; Sébastien, a marine biologist and water-quality analyst, and his wife, Haley; Madeleine, a dental practice associate, and her husband, Fred, and daughter, Charlotte; and Remy, a recent college graduate and aspiring sports manager; Mei’s mother, Louisa; Mei’s sisters, Kris, and her daughter Zarina; and Lise, and her husband Stephen, and their son Sam.
The entire family extends its gratitude to everyone who supported and celebrated her in the final months and created a graceful conclusion. A memorial service will be set at a later date.
Those wanting to honor her memory may consider supporting her favorite organizations: Avon Theatre Film Center, Bridges School Early Childhood Program, Northwestern University, or Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale New Haven.