David Locke Stone was born July 22, 1941 in Portales, NM to the home of Douglas and Dona Stone. He died on January 28, 2025 in Edmond, Oklahoma at the age of 83. Psalm 139:16 tells us, “Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”

After graduating from Portales High School in 1959, David attended the University of Texas and graduated with a degree in Finance. He began his banking career in Dallas, and was pivotal in the creation of several companies like Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, Tuesday Morning, and Country Burger. He was also the personal banker for several players on the iconic Dallas Cowboy teams of the ‘70s. In 1981, he returned home to run the family bank, Portales National, succeeding his father as President. David was a gifted and savvy businessman, and he had an uncanny ability to predict interest rates and an unparalleled understanding of money and finance. During his 40-year tenure as president, he took great pride in mentoring his nephew Doug and daughter Robin to ensure the Bank would continue for generations to come. Under his leadership, the Bank grew from a two-branch, $30 million institution to one with nine branches and over $330 million in assets.

David was a gifted leader, and his 6’ 8” frame matched his dominant and exuberant personality. David loved people, and he spent his entire life improving the lives of those around him. Ever the champion of “the little guy”, David helped thousands of people escape the clutches of poverty and live the American Dream. He was a true community banker and the kind of man upon which America was built.

David was instrumental in founding the Independent Community Bankers of New Mexico, serving as its first chairman. He was a member of the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank Board of Directors, El Paso Branch, and he was actively involved in the Independent Community Bankers of America, serving as Secretary-Treasurer. David spent his life passionately fighting for the betterment of community banks nationwide.

David was an actor, starring in several westerns including “Wyatt Earp”; a singer/songwriter, releasing an album “Scarlett on My Mind” along with other singles like “Kakawate Road” and the notorious “The JP Stone Fight Song” sung at every bank function and employee meeting; an author and poet, publishing two books including “Our Bank, My Family, My Friends, and Me”, along with numerous articles and other publications.

David loved the United States of America and was extremely patriotic. He felt it was his duty to ensure everyone knew how to properly say “The Pledge of Allegiance” (NO PAUSE between “one nation” and “under God”) as taught to him by his Junior High Principal, Kenneth Livingston. David was actively involved in local, state and national politics, and everyone knew where he stood on the issues. He was not a partisan; rather, he vocally and proudly supported any candidate that he felt would better the lives of those in his community, be they Democrat, Republican or Independent…but mostly, Republican.

David was passionate about history, showing a particular affinity for the American Civil War. He and his wife Gracy traveled the country, participating in Civil War reenactments. It was not unusual for a customer to come into the Bank and see David in one of his many Civil War costumes, complete with high leather boots, a feather-plumbed hat, and a cavalry sword. While new customers were often surprised to see the Bank President so adorned, for most of us, it was just another normal day at the Bank.

More than anything else, David loved his family and especially his children and grandchildren. He was a kid’s dad. He spent a great deal of time coaching various athletic teams; he truly impacted not only his kids and grandkids, but every child on his teams. Every parent wanted David to coach their kids. To ensure complete unity on the team, David required every parent to be actively involved. When he was not coaching, he would buy everything from scoreboards to billboards to fair animals to belt-buckles for the highly competitive County Fair Stick Horse Race to invest in the children and young adults in Roosevelt County.

Just like the rest of us, David was not a perfect man, and he recognized his need for a Savior. He was a faithful member of the Portales Presbyterian Church, and in times of trouble, David would pray. As the Apostle James instructed, David did not hide his shortcomings, but expressed them to others so everyone could benefit. He frequently said, “You learn more from your failures than you do from your successes.” He never stopped trying to grow and better himself, and his humility and self-reflection stood as an example to all who knew him.

David Stone lived an exceptional life. He was so much more than the sum of his deeds, and to those who knew him, he was a man larger than life. The world is a lesser place without him.

David is survived by his wife Gracy; his children, David Stone, Jr. (Alvaro), Deborah Ingraham (Rex), Robin Willingham (Jeff); four grandchildren, J.D. Ingraham (Maria), Madison Willingham, Kaycee Hill (Richard), and Joseph Willingham; and three great-grandchildren, Stone Conner Guy, Rosie Ingraham, and Brandi Hill.

He is also survived by the legacy he leaves behind, the Bank he grew, the organizations he formed, and the lives he touched. His impact is evident in the words of Chris Moya (ICBA President and CRO) who honored David’s legacy in a letter to members: Remembering David L. Stone: A Pioneer of Community Banking in New Mexico. David Stone made a difference that will be felt for decades to come, the echo of a life well-lived.