Stone, Ruth Preston (pseud: Lester Allen) 18.apr.1928-25.jan.2001 USA South Carolina, Greenwood - Columbia
pianist, organist, choirmaster, graduated from Greenwood High School South Carolina, studied piano with Prof. Thomas B Kemp at Lander College in Greenwood, studied piano for 2 years with John MacEnulty at Converse College in Spartanburg South Carolina, BA in music from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, 1948-1954 residing at 1500 Senate Street in Columbia, 1950-1951 music director and staff accompanist for radio station WIS in Columbia, 1951 called a young pianist, 1951 president of the national professional music fraternity Delta Omicron, 1951 organist and choirmaster at the Washington Street Methodist Church in Columbia, 1951 she represented Columbia at the Miss America Contest in Atlantic City, 1951-1954 piano teacher at the University of South Carolina, for 7 years choirmaster of the Anglican Church of the Epiphany in Columbia, she died in Methuen Massachusetts while residing in Columbia ; daughter of hotel proprietor Ira Thomas Stone (North Carolina, Kittrell 29.jul.1884-14.dec.1960 Columbia) and Pearl Estelle Davis (South Carolina, Florence 28.mar.1890-6.feb.1965 Columbia); 17.oct.1953 at the Methodist Church in Columbia she married university music teacher David Gardiner Phillips (South Carolina, Due West 19.feb.1929-11.mar.1996 Columbia) ; their son Thomas died aged 21