Richard “Rich” Stoneking delivered a heartfelt and engaging presentation today at the Rotary Club of Trenton during his Member Classification speech, offering club members a warm and comprehensive look into his life, career, and values.
Stoneking, who joined the Rotary Club of Trenton in 2018, spoke candidly about his early life, family, athletic career, and professional path. A standout highlight was his time as a pitcher for the University of Pennsylvania varsity baseball team after graduating from Ewing High School. He also shared the story of meeting his wife Cindy and their shared passion for hot air ballooning — he holds a commercial hot air balloon pilot license. Rich spoke lovingly about their two children, expressing deep pride in their accomplishments and how they have both completed college and postgraduate education and are now successfully employed.
A highly respected physical therapist, Stoneking has been practicing since 1979 and has operated his own private practice since 1989. His offices have served patients in West Trenton (Mercer County) and Lambertville (Hunterdon County) for decades. In December 2017, he consolidated his practice to his hometown of West Trenton. In addition to clinical work, he has extensive experience in home health, hospital acute care, and skilled nursing settings. He currently serves as a consultant for New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Companies, performing physical therapy utilization review and cost containment.
Stoneking’s leadership in the profession is extensive. He served as President of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association for two years and as a Board of Directors member for six years. In 1998, he received the Outstanding Service Award from the APTA of New Jersey. He has maintained professional membership in the APTA since 1980 and was appointed in 2015 to the New Jersey State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners, where he continues to serve. Over the years, he has delivered more than 100 professional presentations and regularly lectures at New Jersey’s four physical therapy graduate programs.
Beyond his professional achievements, Stoneking has a strong history of Rotary service. He is a past President of the Lambertville-New Hope Rotary Club and remains an active and valued member of the Rotary Club of Trenton.
Rich’s classification talk beautifully illustrated the Rotary motto “Service Above Self” through both his professional dedication to helping patients regain mobility and function and his lifelong commitment to community involvement and family.
The Trenton Rotary Club welcomed Rich’s inspiring story with enthusiasm, celebrating a member whose career, family life, and community service exemplify the ideals of Rotary.
