Mrs. Sadye Celia Stone Thall

Sadye’s history dates back to 1896 when her mother, Bessie Hurwitz and Bessie’s brother Samuel came over to America to find a better life to avoid oppression and the pogroms of Russia. Bessie’s maternal family the Minikus’ of Vilnus had a long and rich life intertwined with the Klacko family where their descedents were rabbis.

Bessie met and married Jacob Stone on February 22, 1902. The wedding was held at Concord Hall in Boston with over 200 attendees. The newlyweds moved to Haverhill in 1902 and started a new life together. However, Jacob died in 1912, at the age of 38, leaving Bessie with three small children to support- Saul, Edward, and Sadye. Bessie took in boarders and opened a grocery store in her house. The children helped. Sadye eventually became the delivery girl. Despite an upbringing with no toys or birthday celebrations and little money for coal to keep warm when frost collected on the walls inside the house. Sadye managed to save $100 for college.

In 1928 her two brothers started their first venture, a small shop providing a single small service for the shoe industry. In order to obtain a lease for the equipment they needed, the brothers had to supply a security deposit of $100. They didn’t have the money, but their young sister did. The brothers debated the point, but they asked for Sadye’s financial help. The success of that first venture financed with Sadye’s $100 eventually lead to the founding of a plastics company. That plastics company eventually became Sterilite Corporation: The largest U.S. independent manufacturer of plastic housewares.

On October 29, 1990 at the New England Housewares Club, Sadye’s nephew, Al Stone, who then ran Sterilite, honored his Aunt Sadye, noting that “without her $100 the brothers would never have gotten their start and there would be no Sterilite.” Sadye worked in her brothers’ venture, until 1937, when she married Abraham Thall.

She was the beloved wife of the late Abraham Thall of Brookline, devoted daughter of the late Jacob and Bessie Stone of Haverhill. Cherished mother of Diane (Howard) Rothstein of Milton, Roberta Thall of Brookline, Irene Bloomstein of Framingham, and Jacqueline (Martin) Shaevel of Brookline. Loving grandmother of Amy Rothstein of Randolph, Andrew (Melinda) Rothstein of Dover, and Jill (Paul) Jeter of Natick, Eric (Yana) Bloomstein Framingham, Ken (Stephanie) Shaevel of Santa Monica, CA, Laura Rice (Martin) of Newton, Peter (Robin) Shaevel of Newton and 17 great grandchildren. Dear sister of the late Edward Stone of Lunenburg and the late Saul Stone of Chelmsford, Sister-in-law of Ethel Blumenthal of Brookline and the late Diana Fox of Brookline.

Sadye was a life member of Hadassah, ORT, and Hebrew Senior Life. She was also a member of Temple Sinai in Brookline and Temple Israel in Boston.

For the past ten years her daughter and son –in-law Howard has helped her with her illness, as well as her six devoted companions, Evelyne, Yrose ,Betsy, Mimi, Yolene, and Fenide.

Special thanks to Dr. Eran Metzger, Beth Israel Deaconess and Dr. Beverly Woo, Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Funeral service will be held Tues, Dec 13th ,12 NOON at Stanetsky Memorial Chapel, 1668 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA. Burial will follow at Sharon Memorial Park. Memorial observance will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215.