Wabash AD Matt Stone passed away, services Monday

Wabash Schools honored the life of Matt Stone Friday by leaving the lights on overnight at all sports fields.

Stone is the father of Rochester athletic director Cal Stone.

Matthew E. Stone, 58, of Wabash, Indiana, died at 3:21 pm, Thursday, April 9, 2026, at his home surrounded by his family. He was born on January 4, 1968, in Gary, Indiana, to Albert Eugene and Linda Suzanne (Durbin) Stone.

Matt was a 1986 graduate of Hebron High School, he then went on a baseball scholarship to play at Purdue North Central and ultimately graduated from Purdue University in West Lafayette.

He married his high school sweetheart Kimberly Marie Dillon in Hebron on July 6, 1991.

Matt started his teaching and coaching career at his alma mater Hebron High School where he was varsity baseball coach and assistant boys basketball coach. He then went to Jac-Cen-Del High School where he coached boys basketball and ultimately he found his way to Wabash High School.

 At Wabash, Matt worked 24 years, as a seven sport varsity coach, athletic director and also served as the Chief Financial Officer for Wabash City Schools. In his coaching career he accumulated: 457 career wins over 43 different seasons, 6 conference titles, 2 conference tournament titles, 8 county tournament championships, 4 sectional championships, and 2 regional championships.

Matt was a member of Wabash Rotary Club,and served on various boards in Wabash County including B.A.B.E of Wabash County, Wabash County Solid Waste Management, the IIAAA, and the NIAAA.

Matt was a statistical nerd, which led him to become the founder and chairman of the newly formed Wabash High School Hall of Fame, where he was just recently inducted.

Anyone who knew Matt knew he was an avid Purdue Boilermakers and Chicago Cubs fan. He would always take his family to a game for their birthday or even his anniversary. When he got some free time from all the coaching, he enjoyed spending time on Lake Michigan, but most importantly spending time with his family, especially his rowdy grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife, Kim Stone of Wabash, four children: Brittany (Andrew) Cooley of Wabash, Shelby Stone of Wabash, Cal (Brooke) Stone of Rochester, Indiana, and Kiley Stone of Wabash, mother, Linda Stone of Hebron, Indiana, five grandchildren: Addison Cooley, Clark Cooley, and Palmer Cooley, all of Wabash, and Selah Stone and Lincoln Stone, both of Rochester; and his twin sisters, Amy (Lyle) Ziants and Rebecca (Jason) Grochowski, both of Hebron. He was preceded in death by his father, and his brother, Michael Stone.

Funeral services will be 2:00 pm, Monday, April 13, at Coolman Gymnasium at Wabash High School, 150 Colerain Street, Wabash, with David Phillips officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Lawns Cemetery, Wabash. Visitation will be 2:00 - 7:00 pm, Sunday, April 12, 2026, at Coolman Gymnasium. Arrangements by Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service, Wabash.

Preferred memorials are to Wabash Athletics or the Matt Stone Memorial Basketball Scholarship.

The memorial guest book for Matt may be signed at www.grandstaff-hentgen.com.