Bishop Thomas Barber Stockton, of Arbor Acres, Winston-Salem, North Carolina moved from life to life eternal on Wednesday, October 18, 2023. Born to Norman and Emorie Stockton on July 26, 1930 along with his twin brother, Richard, he attended Wiley School, Reynolds High, Davidson College, Duke Divinity School, and Cambridge University, and received honorary doctorates from Pfeiffer College and Shenandoah University.
Tom married Jean Stevens, the love of his life, in 1953. They worked deeply together in ministry, family and life until Jean’s death in November, 2017. They had three children and nine grandchildren: Lisa Stockton Howell, and her husband James, and their children Sarah Howell-Miller, Grace Howell, and Noah Howell; Tom Stockton, Jr., and his wife Margie, and their children Rosie Stockton, Elizabeth Fox, and Katy Stockton; and Shannon Stockton Miller, and her husband Shannon, and their children Regan Johnson, Taylor Miller, and Sydney Miller.
He entered the United Methodist ministry in 1956 and served Thrift United Methodist Church in Charlotte, First United Methodist Church in Reidsville, Dilworth United Methodist Church in Charlotte, Central United Methodist Church in Asheville, Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte, and Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in High Point. Tom then served as Bishop of the Virginia United Methodist Annual Conference. In addition, he served on the United Methodist Board of Higher Education, and as a Trustee of Duke University, High Point University, and Virginia Methodist College. Upon retirement he taught at High Point University until he and Jean moved to Arbor Acres.
A Service of Death and Resurrection will be held at Centenary United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem on Saturday, October 28, at 2 p.m., conducted by Dr. James Howell, Rev. Sarah Howell-Miller, and Bishop Ray Chamberlain.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Resident Assistance Fund at Arbor Acres, 1240 Arbor Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27104, or to Lake Junaluska, Annual Fund, PO Box 67, Lake Junaluska, NC 28745. Condolences may be made online at www.salemfh.com.