Warren Wortman Eason

EASON Warren Wortman Eason, professor, musician, world traveler, gardener, and lover of birds, died gently at home on Monday, March 22, 2010 at the age of 88. He was born in Mt. Vernon, NY on October 6, 1921, to Wortman and Millie (Geib) Eason. At a young age he showed rare talent for the French horn, studying at Juilliard and playing with the Columbia University Band at the age of 15. In 1940 he auditioned for conductor Leopold Stokowski along with 16,000 others, and was chosen for the All American Youth Orchestra, the 109 finest young musicians in the country. Serving as ambassadors from the US, they performed in Brazil and Argentina, and were received by Eleanor Roosevelt upon their return. Warren was preceded in death by his parents and infant granddaughter Jamie Power. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Jeanne (Fox), whom he met during WWII in Corpus Christi, TX in Naval flight training. She was a WAVE and his Link Trainer instructor. Warren loved to say with a grin, "She taught me to fly blind, and I've been flying blind ever since!" He learned to fly in a Stearman and SNJ. He also served in the US Coast Guard Reserve, Musician First Class. Warren is also survived by daughters, Katherine Power and Barbara (Martin) Himes; grandchildren, Sean Power and Darcy Himes, all of Columbus; and godson, Nick (Beila Krow) Rodin, Jr. of Soquel, CA. His academic career in Soviet economics spanned the Cold War to the end of the Soviet Union. Warren's passion for research in demography took him to the USSR nine times. In 1961, his young family accompanied him to Moscow for a year to fulfill his dream of pursuing his research. Warren's travels were captured through the lens of his beloved Leica M3, and his color slides of Soviet people, parades, schools, factories, and hospitals leave a rare anthology of a country that fascinated him. Warren earned his BA, MA and PhD in Economics from Columbia University. A professor at The Ohio State University from 1968 to 2003, he also taught at Syracuse, Princeton, and Johns Hopkins. This gentle man with a brilliant mind spent the final years of his life dealing with the ravages of Alzheimer's. We are proud that one of his legacies was to be the inspiration for a home in Clintonville for people living with memory loss, named Eason House in his honor. With deep gratitude we thank supportive friend Karen McGuire, caregivers Sam Pollock, Susan Kelly, Lorraine Ferrett, Shana Lasater and Susie Dillon, and the creators of Eason House, Tim Mills and Mark Moore, who made this caring home setting possible. Everyone should be so lucky to have their hands held and forehead kissed as Warren's were. A Memorial Service will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 8, at FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH, 93 West Weisheimer Rd., Columbus, the Rev. Mark Belletini officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to WOSU or the Alzheimer's Association in Warren's memory.