Carole K. Stone

Carole Stone (née Kreeger), a celebrated poet and Distinguished Professor Emerita at Montclair State University, passed away peacefully at age 96. A lifelong devotee of the written word, Carole's life was a testament to the power of literature to bridge personal history and academic excellence.

Born on April 1, 1930, in Newark, New Jersey, to Harry and Margaret Kreeger, Carole’s early life was marked by the tragic loss of both parents in 1935. She and her brother, Gerald, were raised in Newark by their aunt and uncle, Elsie and Sid. Carole’s intellectual journey began early; she graduated from Weequahic High School at just 16. She attended Drew University before transferring to New York University, where she earned both her BA and MA in English. Her academic pursuits culminated in a PhD from Fordham University in 1976, with a dissertation focused on the spiritual journey of Sylvia Plath.

Her professional career was dedicated to education, starting in junior high and high schools in Denville and North Arlington before finding her long-term home at Montclair State University in 1967. Over a tenure spanning nearly four decades, she rose to the rank of Distinguished Professor of English and Creative Writing, retiring at age 75.

A prolific and recognized poet, Carole published five full-length collections, including Traveling with the Dead, American Rhapsody, and her most recent work, Limited Editions. Her voice was also captured in four chapbooks and countless literary journals. Her talent earned her three fellowships from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and a prestigious fellowship from the Hawthornden Writers Retreat in Scotland. She found inspiration and community at writers' colonies worldwide, from Geneva, Switzerland, Breadloaf and the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts.

In 1957, Carole met her husband, Harold on a blind date. They married in 1958 and moved to Verona in 1960, where they raised their children, John and Katherine. Carole and Harold shared a profound bond over their mutual love for Irish literature, particularly the works of James Joyce. Harold was always her first reader and most trusted critic.

Carole was a true citizen of the world. She spent her winters in Mexico—first in San Miguel de Allende and later in Zihuatanejo—surrounded by fellow writers, and her summers in East Hampton NY. She often traveled in July, to attend literature and psychology conferences in countries including Germany, France, Portugal, Russia, and Spain.

Carole was always eager to share her perspective, loved her family and those they loved, and was very proud of her Granddaughters, Emma and Margaret and treasured all the time they spent together.

Carole is predeceased by her husband and her brother. She is survived by her children John and Katherine and granddaughters Emma and Margaret, her extended family, and the generations of students and readers she inspired.