With profound sadness, we announce the passing of Denise M. Stone, a respected geoscientist and dedicated leader in the geological community, on May 3, 2025, in Centennial, Colo., after a courageous battle with cancer.
Denise had a long and accomplished career as a petroleum geologist and consultant, primarily based in Houston. Over her 40 years in the oil and gas industry, she worked with Superior Oil International, Mobil and Amoco Production Company, later transitioning to consulting following industry mergers and downturns. Her technical contributions spanned basins in the United States, the North Sea, Egypt and Colombia, focusing on the Cook Inlet Basin, Alaska and Wamsutter Field, Wyo. She co-authored with David Hite the 2013 AAPG Memoir 104, “Oil and Gas Fields of the Cook Inlet Basin, Alaska.” Many might be interested to learn that Denise was the first American female geologist at Amoco to accomplish field geologic work in Egypt.
Denise’s leadership within AAPG, the Houston Geological Society and the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists was both significant and sustained. At HGS, Denise served as president from 2002 to 2003 and previously held the positions of vice president, secretary and treasurer. She was the creative mind behind the name “NeoGeos” for the Society’s young professionals committee, which remains active and vibrant today.
She served as AAPG treasurer from 2020 to 2022, bringing clarity to the organization’s financial health through detailed reports in the EXPLORER, Executive Committee meetings and presentations to members. She also contributed more than 20 years to the AAPG House of Delegates, chaired the Houston delegation from 2007 to 2008, and served on the Advisory Council and Publications Committee, and as associate editor of the AAPG Bulletin.
Her academic journey began with a bachelor’s in geology from Texas Christian University and a master’s from Memphis State University. She later attended the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University to expand her management expertise.
In Their Own Words
In an AAPG interview, Denise said she had a strong interest in geology during her first year of college. She decided to major in the field and was eventually encouraged by her professor to join the AAPG Board. According to Stone, what sparked her interest was seeing the “organization to the solid earth beneath my feet” and “being in the field and seeing the relationships” as opposed to reading about them in textbooks.
Nowell Donovan, provost of Texas Christian University, recalled: “Denise Stone was a marvelous, sparkling person. She was one of the most loyal supporters of the Geology Department at TCU. Her friendship with the late Professor Art Ehlman was legendary. He was her principal mentor, she the ideal student. Denise possessed an abundance of talent and was noteworthy for the sense of curiosity that drove her entire career. She was also driven by an ethic of service that led her to give back to the entire geological community, both academic and professional. When she met with graduate and undergraduate students, she was inspirational.”
Kristie Ferguson, who served with her on the AAPG Executive Committee, noted: “I admired Denise for her ability to stand her ground with a calmness and determination that showed grace and wisdom. She was generous and just a lovely person… she and her dogs – I am sad to see her go.”
Linda Sternbach recalled: “She was always interested in people and events at the geology societies. On hearing society news, Denise had a trademark phrase, ‘What’s up with that?’ She was very smart and had a gift for detail and analysis that served HGS and AAPG well.”
Bob Merrill recalled: “Denise’s thoughtful attention to detail and quiet strength made her an extraordinary leader and a joy to work with.”
Craig Moore recalled: “In my many years working with Denise, starting with the HGS Board 2000-01, I like to remember her as a true ‘renaissance’ person who constantly strove to improve and share her knowledge not only in the earth sciences, but in all of life’s activities. We worked together at Benchmark Oil and Gas, 2004-07, on exploring for prospects in the Cook Inlet of Alaska and later, while on a logging run in the Cook Inlet, visiting with her just after she finished a field trip with a group of state geologists and the geologic society of Anchorage. After this trip, she and David Hite assembled and published their AAPG Memoir 104, “Oil and Gas Fields of the Cook Inlet Basin, Alaska”.
Denise is remembered for her technical and leadership acumen and her energy, kindness, and loyalty to friends, family and colleagues. She was an avid traveler with a special love for Rome, Italy, and also a devoted daughter to her mother, Clara, and a loving caretaker of her dogs. Denise M. Stone leaves a lasting legacy of excellence, service and compassion. Her memory will endure in the geological community she served so diligently.
See Wikipedia article on Denise Stone’s life: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denise_M._Stone.
Send condolences to Jim Coleman at [email protected]