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Roger Winslow Stone ’77

Roger Winslow Stone ’77, June 8, 2008, in a sailing accident in the Gulf of Mexico. Roger was born in London, England, and attended Reed for two years. As a safety officer for Texas A&M University, he was on board the sailboat "Cynthia Woods," together with five other crew members, for the annual Regatta de Amigos-a 700-mile race from Galveston, Texas, to Veracruz, Mexico, when the boat suddenly lost its keel. “Stone, who was below deck, began yelling that the hull was breached,” reported the Galveston County Daily News. “Attempts to start the boat's engine failed. Within seconds, the boat rolled onto its side, tossing three overboard. Stone assisted two students out of the boat, but was trapped inside.” The two students, plus three other crew members, were rescued after spending 26 hours in the Gulf of Mexico. Roger drowned in the wreckage. “We now know that Roger Stone died a hero in the classic sense of the word,” R. Bowen Loftin, vice president and CEO of A&M-Galveston, told the newspaper. Roger had sailed the regatta numerous times and was an excellent navigator and accomplished seaman. For his heroic valor, his family accepted the Gold Lifesaving Medal from the U.S. Coast Guard. Survivors include his wife of 18 years, Linda; a daughter and son; and his mother.

Appeared in Reed magazine: March 2010