Madge Marie EATON

1926 - 2020

EATON, Madge Marie (Dammel) (Age 93) Madge Marie (Dammel) Eaton passed away peace-fully in her sleep and went to be with the Lord on January 13, 2020. Madge was born on March 17, 1926 in Havillah, Washington. The oldest of four children born to John and Alice Dammel, she lived on the family farm until her father's death in 1933. With her mother and three younger siblings, she moved to her maternal grandparents' farm in Molson, Washington. In 1937, the family moved to Oroville, Washington. Madge graduated from Oroville High School in 1944. In September 1944, she enrolled in the Providence School of Nursing at Seattle College through the United States Cadet Nurses Corps. She was a member of the 6th Victory Class to complete their training at the Providence School of Nursing. In September 1947, she obtained her R.N. Degree. While in nurse's training, Madge met Robert Edward Eaton, a Coast Guardsman from Roxbury, Massachusetts. They were married in November 1947 and settled in the Seattle area. Madge worked as a homemaker, caring for their three adopted children while Bob worked at the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company. In 1961, their family moved to Spokane, Washington, where Madge returned to work as a nurse, primarily for family medicine doctors in private practice. As a member of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, Madge served diligently and consistently in nearly every aspect of church life, from serving in the altar guild to volunteering with VBS to coordinating Bible studies to caring for the needs of a group of shut-ins she lovingly called her "flock." She also worked as a member of the inaugural building committee and was an active member of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League. After Bob's retirement from Pacific Northwest Bell, Madge and Bob loved spending time outdoors, camping and fishing. They enjoyed several trips to Pacific islands and spent a few winters as snowbirds in Cayucos, California. In 1981, Bob and Madge endured the tragic loss of their daughter Dorothy; Madge became an ardent supporter of M.A.D.D. (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). Married for nearly 39 years, Bob passed away in August 1986 after a lengthy illness. After the death of her husband, Madge continued to lead a full life. She volunteered at Garfield Elementary as a tutor, tended her garden, served as a good neighbor for those fortunate to live on her street, and traveled with friends with Corbin Tours. Madge loved to sew, crochet, and paint. She was a resourceful tinkerer and quite handy; she loved to solve problems and find a way to make things work. After moving to north Spokane, Madge enjoyed quilting at Holy Cross Lutheran Church to benefit Lutheran World Relief. Most of all, she loved spending time with her family. Pragmatic and resilient, she possessed a depth of compassion and tender-heartedness that consistently restored and strengthened the people she loved. She was truly a force, a presence who will be missed by all who knew her. Madge was preceded in death by her parents, John and Alice Dammel; husband, Robert E. Eaton; daughter, Dorothy Eaton; brother, Eugene Dammel; sister-in-law, Marguerite Dammel; brothers-in-law, Richard Dart and Ray Visser; and great-grandson, Theodore Laughary. She is survived by her sisters, Barbara Dart and Ina Visser; daughter Marguerite (Aubrey) Todd; son Kevin (Lauri) Eaton; grandson Marcus Todd; granddaughters Melisa (whose husband Ashley Lovins is deceased) Todd, Bonny (Casey) Laughary, and Juli (Kerry) White; four great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. Ball and Dodd Funeral Home in Spokane, Washington is handling the funeral arrangements. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 1st at 2:00 pm at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. The church is located at 7307 N. Nevada St., Spokane, WA, 99208. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to M.A.D.D. (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), Washington State Chapter, PO Box 70441, Seattle, WA, 98127.