Charles Edward Eaton

On the morning of January 4, 2020 the world lost a truly amazing soul, Charles Edward Eaton, most called him Chuck, but I called him Dad. Starting his life on September 15, 1952 in Clinton, Iowa, son of Mary A. (Eichholz) Eaton and Dexter W. Eaton, the mid west has had his heart ever since. He had many loves in his life, as he would joke "I like my daughter, but I love my truck". Well, the Mississippi River was a close third. When my dad was in high school, the family packed up and headed for Maine, Kennebunkport to be exact. In 1970 my dad graduated from Kennebunk High. He would boast about playing tennis with the Bush’s at Walkers Point. Soon after, he found himself walking the docks of southern Florida where he found his love of carpentry as he was offered a job as a ships carpenter. After some years he made his way back to Maine where he met my mom, Kathy. They fell in love and somehow he convinced her to move to Cape Coral. Soon after, I came along in June of 1994. We spent 5 years in the sun before returning to Maine.

In July 2010 I met my fiancé, Zachary Toderico. After the ‘what are your intensions with my daughter’ and ‘I have a shot gun in my closet’ talks, my dad and Zach developed a close relationship. Zach was more or less the son he never had. He loved teaching Zach everything he knew about the trades. In fact he found much pride in seeing Zach perfect his skills by passing on his knowledge. My dad always said ‘I don’t work. I strap on my tool belt and go have fun everyday.’ Another great love of his life were his dogs, Grace in particular was his best friend. She was never far from his side and their connection was undeniable.

In May of 2013 life got real serious with the cancer diagnosis. With the abundance of love and strength we navigated the highs and lows but never lost our faith. We were blessed to have an amazing team of doctors lead by Roger InHorn. He in particular was a godsend to us, and over the years he became more than a doctor but a dear friend of our family. One of my fondest memories during this time was when we drove to the beach. We cranked the radio and sang every Bob Seger and Van Morrison song we could think of… we were always able to find a little bit of fun.

My dad’s wishes are made up of a couple different pieces. One was a big party with lots of laughs with good friends, good music, and a cold beer, or two. The second is to be laid to rest in the Mississippi where his heart is. I grew up hearing endless stories of his time spent in Iowa and specifically the cane he would raise on the Mississippi. To honor my dad, I am planning a trip to Clinton, Iowa to see where all the stories took place. The house he grew up in, the school he went to, and lastly his favorite fishing spot.

I want to leave you with a couple words that he would always tell me that helped me through the tough days: happiness is a decision and if you can’t find your happiness, pour another cup of coffee and give yourself a good talking to. Somedays that doesn’t do it either, so if you grit your teeth real hard, it looks like a smile. My dad is my brightest light, and I know he touched so many people in his time here.

Chuck touched many people and will be leaving behind a tremendous legacy as he heads to the bright side of the road.

Charles was preceded in death by his brother Edwin, his parents Mary and Dexter. He is survived by Carley Eaton, Kathy Eaton and Zach Toderico. His sister Pat (Ron) Archer; nieces and their spouses Leanne (Michael) Perkins and Laura (Tom) Niemczycki and many friends.

A celebration will be held on Friday, January 24, 2020 from 5:00 - 8:00 pm at Brunos Restaurant and Tavern, 33 Allen Ave Portland, Maine 04103. We will be providing appetizers and one of Chuck’s favorite beers, Coors light for all. There will be a cash bar for any other drinks you wish to have. We hope that everyone who knew Chuck, will come down grab a bite to eat, have a beer and share some memories.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the GoFundMe page to support Carley’s trip to the Mississippi River to fulfill her dad’s wishes.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/back-home-to-the-banks-of-the-mississippi