Mary Bradford Stone was the wife of American actor Franklin Cover better known for his role as Tom Willis on The Jeffersons. Mary and Franklin met in the 1960s; they exchanged their wedding vows in 1965. The couple remained married until 2006 when Franklin died due to pneumonia.

During their 41 years of marriage, Mary Bradford Stone and her husband were blessed with two children, Bradford, and Susan Cover.

Her Children

Mary’s son is an actor; he has appeared in several Broadway and off-Broadway plays and some television shows. Bradford appeared in The Good Wife and Law and Order. Besides, he has worked at the Lark Theatre to help come up with new plays. Mary Bradford’s son also worked at The Pearl Theatre Company and appeared in The Winter’s Tale, No Exit, Uncle Vanya, and You Never Can Tell.

Mary’s other child, Susan Cover, is a digital journalist but lives a private life; she rarely shares details of her personal life.

Mary’s Husband

Mary’s husband was a learned man; he went to John Marshal High School, after which he joined Denison University. He then furthered his studies at Case Western Reserve University, graduating with Masters of Fine Arts in Theater. Mary’s husband began acting in the early 1960s, appearing in several stage plays, including Hamlet, Forty Carats, and Henry IV, Part 1.

On television, Franklin appeared on Naked City; his breakthrough came in 1975 when he was cast as Tom Willis in The Jeffersons. He played the role until 1985, when the show ended, after which she started making guest appearances on several television shows, including The Jackie Gleason Show.

Mary Bradford’s husband also appeared in the thriller The Stepford Wives as Ed Wimpiris. Franklin Cover’s roles in What’s So Bad About Feeling Good? and The Great Gatsby were uncredited. He portrayed Hubert Humphrey in the television movie A Woman Called Golda. In his later years, Mary’s husband had fewer roles; he appeared in Brain Donors, Wall Street, and Almost Heroes.

On the television show, The Jeffersons, Mary Bradford Stone’s husband was married to a black woman, and it was one of the first interracial marriages to be seen on television. Franklin Cover made his last appearance on television in the episode Object of My Rejection in the show Will & Grace.

Death of Mary Bradford Stone’s Husband

In his last years, Franklin was ill; he had a heart condition. He moved to an assisted-living facility called Lilian Booth Actors Home, where he was recovering when he died. Mary’s husband died on February 5, 2006, in Englewood, Bergen County, New Jersey, aged 77. His body was cremated and given to his family members.

Is Mary Bradford Stone Still Alive?

Mary Bradford Stone has been off the public grid for a long time. Since her husband died in 2006, she has not made any public appearances, and much about her life is unknown. No news about her death has circulated on the internet, so it is okay to assume she is still alive and spending time with her children and grandchildren.