Gordon Eaton Ph.D.

1929 - 2022

Gordon Eaton

March 09, 1929 - July 02, 2022

Gordon Pryor Eaton was born to Colman and Dorothy (Pryor) Eaton in Dayton, Ohio. He graduated from high school there in 1947, from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut in 1951, and from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California where he earned a Master of Science degree and a PhD in geology and geophysics in 1957.

His life's work embraced two different professional careers, one in academia, where he rose over the years from Instructor to university president and the other with the Federal Government, where he served as a research scientist and administrator, rising from Hydrologic Field Aide to Director of the U.S Geological Survey, a Federal science agency of 10,000 employees.

Following retirement Dr. Eaton and his wife took up residence in Coupeville, WA, but later moved to College Station, TX in 2003, after having moved there the first time in 1981. Dr. Eaton moved to the adjoining city of Bryan, TX in 2013.

From 1967 to 1981 Dr. Eaton held several different positions in the U.S. Geological Survey, including Scientist-in-Charge of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in Hawaii National Park, Hawaii and later, as Associate Chief Geologist in Reston, Virginia. From 1981 to 1986, he served as Dean of the College of Geosciences, then as University Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Texas A&M University.

From 1986 to 1990, he was President of lowa State University in Ames, lowa. From 1990 to 1994 Eaton served as Director of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University in New York. From there he received a presidential appointment as the 12th Director of the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. Dr. Eaton served on the Earth Sciences and Resources Board, the Ocean Studies Board and the Geophysics Study Committee of the National Research Council and on the Science and Technology Committee of the Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission. Earlier he was a member, then chair, of the Advisory Committee of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and a member of the Council of Advisors for the World Food Prize in Des Moines, lowa.

Dr. Eaton travelled extensively throughout his adult life, frequently on business, but many times with his wife for education and/or pleasure. Altogether he visited 27 countries, one of them, England, which he visited several times because his family had immigrated to America from England in 1635, and still had distant family members in England.

Dr. Eaton received the American Geological Institute's lan Campbell Medal, the California Institute of Technology's Distinguished Alumnus Award and an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado, as well as an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. Texas A&M Geosciences awarded Dr. Eaton with the Michel T. Halbouty Geosciences Medal.

lowa State University named a new campus building in his honor. He is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, Who's Who in Science and Engineering and American Men and Women of Science.

Gordon Eaton took up painting in retirement and has produced more than 80 pictures, many of which are on file at Arbor Oaks at Crestview in Bryan, TX. Dr. Eaton is preceded in death by his parents, Colman and Dorothy Eaton, and by his wife, Virginia. He is survived by his adult children, daughter, Gretchen Maria Eaton Rodriguez and her husband, Juan M. Rodriguez of Bryan, Texas; son, Dr. Greg M. Eaton (TAMU '87) and his wife Shari of Sissoville, West Virginia and two close nephews, Dr. Tony Brown of Reading, Massachusetts and Adam Brown and his wife, Grace Vee of Mt. Kisko, New York.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Arbor Oaks at Crestview Residents Association Memorial Garden Fund at 2505 E. Villa Maria Rd., Bryan, Texas 77802.

A memorial service for Gordon Eaton will be held in the Chapel at Arbor Oaks at Crestview, 2505 E. Villa Maria Rd., Bryan, Texas on Friday, July 29, 2022, at 3 p.m.