Donald Ray "Don" Eaton

Donald Ray “Don” Eaton was born at Bobtown, Kentucky on August 23, 1938. He was the youngest child of seven children born to James Luther Eaton and Mary Zula (Ping) Eaton. He attended grade school at Bobtown and graduated from Pulaski County High School in 1956. He attended Sinclair College in Dayton, Ohio and Elgin Community College in Elgin, Illinois, in night classes while employed at McCalls. In 1956 Don moved to Dayton, Ohio where he was employed by the McCall Corporation. He became an agent for State Farm Insurance Company in Dayton. After a brief time with State Farm Don returned to McCalls. In 1967 Don was promoted to the position of Assistant Manager of McCalls Fashion Pattern Division in Toronto, Canada. In 1968 he became Manager of McCalls Chicago Brand Distribution Center in Chicago, Illinois. In 1969 he became Operations Manager of the McCall Pattern Company in Manhattan, Kansas. In 1970 Don left McCalls and moved back to Somerset where he became a partner with his brother-in-law, Ray Abbott, in a building business known as Abbott and Eaton Builders. He left this partnership to go to work for Cumberland Furniture Company as a general foreman. This business closed and was merged with Cumberland Wood & Chair Corporation. Don left this Company in 1972 and with J. Kenneth Presley, Doug Burton and Doyle Burton co-founded Cumberland Appliance Center. Later Don bought Burton’s shares and he and his children became sole owners of this business. Don bought Perry’s TV & Appliance in downtown Somerset upon the death of the owner Robert Perry, and operated that business as Eaton’s TV & Appliance. He moved that business from downtown to Highway 27 in 1984 to the building now occupied by the 911 dispatch center. This business was later closed and merged with Cumberland Appliance Center, Inc. Don returned to Cumberland Wood & Chair Corp. as Production Coordinator in 1980. He was elected to the board of this corporation and eventually became operation manager before leaving the company after it was sold to Karel of Cumberland, Chicago, Illinois. Don was a charter member of Beacon Hill Baptist Church where he had served as Church Clerk, Trustee, Chairman of the committee to write the churches constitution & by laws, Sunday School Dept. Director, Teacher, Usher and various other committees. He is currently a member of First Baptist Church, Somerset, Kentucky. Don married Ada Maxine Evans on May 28, 1960 on the same day that Ada graduated from High School at Pulaski County. Their first child, Dale Wayne was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1962. Their second child, Gary Scott was born in Elgin, Illinois in 1968 and their third child, Sandi Gail was born in 1971 in Somerset, Kentucky. They have 3 grandchildren, Tyler Ray Johnson, Maci Kathleen Eaton and Victoria Blair Eaton. Don is survived by his wife, three children, a daughter-in-law Kimberly Joyce Eaton, three grandchildren, three sisters, Glytus Abbott (and Ray), Christene Epperson (and Edgar), and Faye Jones all of Somerset, Kentucky, two sister-in-laws Doris Eaton of Bagdad, Kentucky and Iva Dean Eaton of the Bronston/Quinton Community. Don was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Orvin “Bud” Eaton and Luther Vernon Eaton, one sister, Geneva Ping and three brother-in-laws, Roy Ping, Arlie “Tom” Jones and Don Evans. A funeral service will be held on Monday, December 17, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel of Pulaski Funeral Home with Dr. French Harmon officiating. Burial will follow in the Eden Cemetery. The family of Mr. Donald Ray Eaton will receive friends after 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 16, 2012 at the Pulaski Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers family request expressions of sympathy be made to the Eden Cemetery Fund and The Gideon Bible Plan. Pulaski Funeral Home is honored to be in charge of all arrangements for Mr. Donald Ray “Don” Eaton.