Donald Stocking Was `A Prince' To Stockholders, Camp Fire Girls

Quite a few stockholders and Camp Fire girls can thank Donald J. Stocking for making life easier.

His litigation when he was with the Securities and Exchange Commission uncovered many cases of stock fraud, and his trail tending before his daughters' campouts widened their access to nature.

Mr. Stocking, who died Saturday (Nov. 26) at 86, not only got the job done with affable aplomb, he set an example for those who followed.

"He was a prince of a guy, to start with," said Jack Bookey, an SEC-trained attorney.

"His leading attribute was as a trainer of young lawyers. What he enjoyed most was bringing in new, young people. He had a lot of spirit, and he was an inspiration. . . . In 10 years he trained at least five lawyers I knew who became administrators of other SEC offices."

Mr. Stocking's daughter Dede Webber of Bellevue said SEC work prepares many attorneys for private practice.

She said he also had been another kind of "prince": reigning over a Camp Fire theme week.

Besides shepherding neighbor kids to movies or to swim at Green Lake after he'd put in a hot, tiring day at the Seattle office of the SEC, he served as president of Seattle Area/King County Camp Fire Girls.

He also worked on committees for the Municipal League.

Born in Billings, Mr. Stocking earned his law degree in 1931 from the University of Montana.

He entered federal service as assistant U.S. attorney in 1934, moved to Seattle in 1938 to work in the SEC regional office and in 1957 became assistant regional administrator.

"During that time," said his daughter, "he did so much for his community, being on various boards around the city, he instilled in his children the importance of always giving back to the community."

In 1962 Mr. Stocking was named regional administrator of the Denver SEC office, where in 1967 he won the Distinguished Service Award. He retired and returned to Seattle in 1980.

Bookey said, "In Denver Mr. Stocking had a very high-profile career, a lot of cases dealing with manipulation of penny stocks on the Salt Lake Exchange."

Mr. Stocking's daughter said her father could be good friends with the people he was battling in court.

His "secret," she said, was that he was a man of joy, an optimist with a spiritual foundation. These qualities showed in his love of singing: "Even a few weeks ago in the hospital, he sang love songs to my mother over the phone."

Mr. Stocking also enjoyed golf, gardening and swimming.

Other survivors include his wife, Fern Stocking of Mercer Island; his daughters Mimi Noble of Sun City West, Ariz., Julie Bona of Mercer Island and Betsy Cox of North Ferrisburg, Vt.; his sons, Richard of Port Orchard, Dan of Littleton, Colo., and Jim of Encinitas, Calif.; 11 grandchildren; and a sister, Maudie McCauley of Helena, Mont.

Services will be at 4 p.m. Sunday at Covenant Shores Lodge, 9150 N. Mercer Way, Mercer Island.

Remembrances may be made to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1124 Columbia St., Seattle, WA 98122.