WATERTOWN, NY — The Reverend Donald A. Easton of Watertown NY, 79, passed on at Samaritan Medical Center on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, due to complications from Covid-19 and Lewy Body Dementia. He was surrounded in love with his wife and children by his side.
Born Dec. 24, 1941, in Elmira, he was the son of Albert and Dorothy (Mattison) Easton. He graduated in 1960 from Southside High School in Elmira, NY. Don attended Bucknell University, served honorably in the Navy for two years as a Thai translator. Don graduated from William Penn College in 1969. He then attended Garrett Theological Seminary and graduated with a master’s degree in Divinity in 1972. During his college years and after he spent his summers at Casowasco UMC Retreat Center as a camp counselor and led several youth camping and canoe trips to Canada.
Don was ordained a Deacon in the United Methodist Church in 1970 and ordained Elder in 1973. As a United Methodist minister, he served the following churches: Conquest: Countryside; Odessa, Catharine and Cayutaville; Rose and Alton; Elmira-Epworth and Catlin; Cuyler and Fabius; Fernwood, Altmar, Dugway and Supervising Elder at Amboy Center; Adams and Sulphur Springs; Lysander and Little Utica; Heuvelton, Rensselaer Falls and Supervising Elder at Galilee and Kendrew. He also participated in Conference Committees, including Camp & Retreat Ministries and Archives & History Ministries. He retired in 2007.
Don was deeply devoted to his faith. He enjoyed camping, canoeing, being a literacy volunteer, reading, genealogy and spending time with his family. He loved researching family history and documenting the family tree. He looked forward to the Easton-Albert reunions each summer and connecting with family.
Don is survived by his wife of 25 years, Jeanne (Collins Denney) Easton, his children: Matthew and wife Jennifer Easton of Juno Beach, FL; Sara and husband Carl Lindquist of Lexington, SC; step-sons: Rob and wife Ann Denney of Adams, NY; Peter and wife Shannon Denney of Lowville, NY; his beloved grandchildren: Grace, Griffin and Gavin Lindquist, Elise Denney, Joshua Clawson, Shiloah and Jedidiah Denney; sister: Elaine Easton of Syracuse, NY; brothers-in-law: Tim Collins of Dexter, NY, Jeff Collins of Marcy, NY; sister-in-law: Mary Collins of Franklinville, NY; cousin: Charley and wife Toni Blide of Elmira, NY; nephew: Mark Burnett of NH and niece: Claire (Burnett) Gibbons of VA; mother of his children: Trudy (Whitehead) Easton of SC. He is also survived by loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and many longtime friends.
Due to the pandemic, a Celebration of Life will be held at a date and time to be announced.
Online condolences may be made at www.carpenterstoodley.com
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Don’s memory to Literacy Volunteers of America or to the Michael J. Fox Foundation.