Donald William Eaton
Burial Details
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - February 27, 1948
Burial Service for Donald W. Eaton in Gypsum Sunday
The religious and military funeral service for Donald W. Eaton who gave his life in protection of his country while serving in the U.S. Navy in 1042, will be next Sunday afternoon in the American Legion hall in Gypsum. Rev. Leonard Hele, Foursquare Gospel minister of Eagle church will conduct the religious ceremony in Gypsum, in accordance with the young sailor's family religion.
Carrying the casket to the last resting place in the Eagle cemetery will be six young men who were boyhood pals of Donald's in the Edwards community, and who all served either in the navy or in the Army during World War II. The young men, wearing military uniform, will be Sammy Joseph, and Russell Carter, Danny Koprinikar, Carl Thomas, and Tom Pearch.
Burial will be in charge of Andre Funeral Home and members of Eagle Valley Post No. 150 American Legion will take charge of the military service and the graveside rites when the Last Salute will be fired and taps will follow.
Donald W. eaton, one of five children, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Carl Eaton on the Eaton home ranch near Edwards on October 9, 1921. he had spent his entire life in the Edwards community receiving his schooling there. At the age of 20 he enlisted in the Navy, 9 months before the outbreak of war. He was one of the first in Eagle county to die in the service of his home country receiving wounds in the battle Guadalcanal a few days after his 21st birthday. He was wounded aboard the Monsoon and died on shore. He was buried on Guadalcanal, where the grave was found by childhood pals who served in that theatre of war later. The remains were brought to Eagle Thursday. Surviving are the parents of Edwards, two sisters, NEttie and Marie of Fruita, and two brothers, Carl and Frank. his grandmother, Mrs. Nettie Eaton, and three uncle, Denny (Dennie), Melvin, and Charley reside in Eagle.
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - December 25, 1942
Donald Eaton Loses His Life in Action
The war has commenced to strike home. Last Friday, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Eaton, Squaw Creek Ranch folk, received a telegram from the navy department in Washington announcing the death in action of their son, Donald William Eaton. Just the bare announcement of the lad's death was all that was received, details of where or how death came were lacking as usual in these announcements.
Don was in the navy on a destroyer and while his parents know the name of the vessel on which he was serving, there has been no news released of its sinking. The lad was born and raised in this county and had been in the service but a few months. He was widely known among the young folks in the valley, and highly thought of, and the news of his sacrifice to the cause of freedom was a shock. With the war intensity increasing and more and more of our boys getting into the thick of it, the casualties will increase and the tragedy of it is going to hurt-- something we will not get used to, no matter how frequently it occurs. Mr. and Mrs. Eaton and Don's brothers and sisters have the deep sympathy of their neighbors and friends in the valley. Their only comfort is that their son gave his life fighting to protect their home from the savages of Europe and the rising sun-- a sun that boys like Donald Eaton will cease to sink never to rise again.
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - February 20, 1948
A religious service and a military service will be held for the young seaman who died of wounds received in battle early in the war.
Seaman Eaton served aboard the Monsoon when he was wounded and died on land at Guadalcanal, where he was buried in a Navy cemetery. Donald William Eaton was born at Edwards October 9, 1921 and died October 13, 1942. He enlisted in teh Navy in March 1941. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Eaton, prominent Edwards ranchers and is survived by his parents, two sisters, Marie High and Nettie of Fruitvale; and two brothers, Carl of Kokomo and Frank of Wolcott.
