Rev. Donald W. Eagleson

Rev. Donald W. Eagleson

Rev. Donald W. Eagleson, long-time pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Eureka, was received into the arms of our loving God on Friday, October 22, in San Rafael, CA.

Born in Boston, MA, on November 3, 1933, Fr. Don was the son of Donald W. and Margurite Eagleson. A military family, their moves brought them eventually to southern California, where young Don became acquainted with the Brothers of the Holy Cross, whose community he joined in September of 1951. After making his first vows in February of 1953, he studied at the University of Notre Dame, and spent the successive twenty-five years teaching English, religion, mathematics and music at various Holy Cross schools in the country, several in California, including St. Francis in Mountain View and Moreau in Hayward. During this time he also studied at VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, IL, earning a masters degree in Music Education. In 1980, he enrolled in a graduate program in Pastoral Ministry at Seattle University, after which he entered St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo. Leaving the Brothers of the Holy Cross, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Santa Rosa by Bishop Mark Hurley on April 13, 1985, at St. John’s Church, in Napa. After an initial assignment at St. Vincent’s Church in Petaluma, Fr. Don moved north to St. Bernard’s in Eureka and later to St. Mary’s in Arcata. In 1990, he was appointed administrator of Sacred Heart in Eureka, where he was named pastor in 1992, serving there faithfully for the next ten years until his retirement and move to San Rafael.

Fr. Don is survived by cousins, Joan Bovard of Albuquerque, NM, Barbara Madick of Redwood City, CA, Richard Maly of Sacramento, CA, and Patricia Marshburn of Wilmington, NC. He is beloved by many, especially his parish family of Sacred Heart, whom he pastored so tenderly for more than a decade. He is also fondly remembered for his valuable contributions to the Eureka Interfaith Fellowship and Humboldt Redwood Cursillo.

A vigil prayer service will be held at Sacred Heart Church, 2085 Myrtle Ave., in Eureka, on Thursday, October 28, at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered there at noon on Friday, October 29, with Bishop Daniel F. Walsh presiding.

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