James Stone
UPDATE:
Widow Jay Hoskins identified the churches that refused to perform a funeral service as being near Mountain Home in the unincorporated town of Clarkridge. Members from one of those churches called the firehouse to cancel the fellowship after the funeral. More information in Friday’s paper.
ORIGINAL POST:
After a gay man from Mountain Home, Ark. died last week, local churches refused to allow the family to have a funeral in their churches. The local firehouse, which was built by the man’s father, refused to open its doors for fellowship after the funeral as is the custom in that town, according to Jeremy Liebbe, who officiated at the service.
We’re talking to the family and friends of James Stone, the 32-year-old man who was living with his husband in Conroe, Texas and was originally from Clarkridge, Ark. and died on Jan. 19 of Sjogren’s syndrome, a genetic autoimmune disorder.
He is survived by his husband, Jay Hoskins. They were married six months ago in New Mexico on their 10th anniversary together. More on this story in Friday’s Dallas Voice.
