I knew Bill for over 60 years; we both grew up on farms in Pukekohe East; our fathers became good friends sharing interests in fishing, hunting and, in their spare time, farming. In those days, Bill's dad, Ben, was the 'go-to' guy in that area, whenever anyone had some form of farm machinery that needed repair. The Stones were amongst the earliest settlers in that area.
There was always some vehicle or another for Bill to drive and to tear around in........I still have pictures of Bill (in his teens) with his early 20's Fiat chassis; apple-crate seating and an inverted bath-tub as a make-shift bonnet
What may not be so widely known, is that Bill had a wide range of interests, outside of his second love..... of motor sport ( his first love, of course, being Susanne)
I last saw Bill and Susanne when they were entertaining and educating some High School kids from Auckland, about the history and the pitched battle that involved the Pukekohe East Presbyterian Church,,,still standing and right across the road from the Stone's old farm. Bill demonstrated to the students, an old muzzle-loading rifle that he owned....for many of them it was a first-time experience and the high-light of their visit.
Bill was such a generous fellow; multi-talented; hard-working. In his own way he represented all that was good about being a Kiwi...with none of the bad........it seemed he could do anything he set his mind to accomplish, if it were humanly and humanely possible.
Bill was a good friend and I shall miss him.
Neville Milne