John Springer Eaton

John Springer Eaton passed away Tuesday, January 20, 2015. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 19, 1919 to Leo W. and Margaret Springer Eaton. John grew up in Hutchinson, Kansas and worked on farms during summers and vacation times. He became an Eagle Scout at age 13 and graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1937. He graduated from Kansas State University with an agricultural engineering degree in the winter of 1941.

John was one of the Greatest Generation and entered the Army after graduation. He arrived in France on Utah Beach in Normandy in the 351st Engineer Shore Regiment on D-Day, June 6, 1944. He served for 2 years in Patton’s Army throughout France, Belgium, Germany, and Czechoslovakia, before returning home to Kansas as a First Lieutenant.

John worked for the Kansas State Highway Department before moving to Tulsa, where he began his career designing oilfield drilling derricks and masts used on land rigs and mobile offshore drilling units. He was a Professional Engineer and worked in Tulsa, Dallas, Beaumont, and Houston. He moved to Houston in 1966 and worked as an engineer until he retired in 1982.

In Tulsa he met his wife of 63 years, Jeannette Harry Eaton, in the First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa. John was an Elder and active on many committees at John Knox Presbyterian Church in Houston. John was an accomplished woodworker. His home and those of his family are filled with his hand made creations. John was an avid golfer who played weekly through 2014 and shot his age a number of times.

John is survived by his wife Jeannette, daughter Venetta Jeanne Godwin (Charles), son John Patrick Eaton (Laura), son Luke Forrester Eaton (Jessalyn). His grandchildren and their spouses, include Fern Godwin Erskine (Keith), Wendy Renee Godwin, John Hunter Eaton, Hannah Elizabeth Eaton, Nathan Patrick Eaton, Eric Forrester Eaton (Kara) and Adam Ross Eaton. Great grandchildren include Evan, Emma, Ethan, and Everett Erskine.

Family and friends gathered for a visitation at Waltrip Funeral Directors, 1415 Campbell Road in Houston, on Friday, January 23 from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM. A memorial service celebrating this wonderful man's life, was held in the sanctuary of John Knox Presbyterian Church, 2525 N. Gessner, also in Houston, on Saturday, January 24 at 10:00 AM. Reverend Becky Downs officiated.