Carol J. Eaton, age 91, a resident of Wheaton, IL, passed away on January 16, 2022.  She was born June 20, 1930, in Chicago, IL to Roy and Carolyn Bedau.

Carol was a passionate advocate of education.  She excelled at school and skipped a year, enrolling at Northern Illinois State Teachers College (Northern Illinois University) in 1947 at the age of 17.  In her first year of school, she met her future husband, James, in an 8:00 a.m. chemistry class.  She eventually earned her Bachelor of Science degree from NIU and later took continuing education courses at the local community college.

Carol was later employed at School District 200 in Wheaton, working as a teacher's aide at both Franklin Jr. High School and Washington Elementary School, mostly teaching math and science.  She greatly enjoyed her time teaching elementary kids for many years.

As a Chicagoan, Carol grew up having great love for the Chicago Cubs which her father passed on to her. They spent many memorable hours at ball games and Carol became a life-long fan.   These memories were special to Carol because she lost her father to a heart attack when she was 19 years old.

On December 23 ^rd ,1950, she married James.  Their car broke down on the way to their honeymoon in the Ozarks, so they spent it in Hillsborough, IL while the car got fixed, and then spent one day in St. Louis.  But it was the start of a wonderful 70-year marriage.

They started a family soon after. Their daughter Gail was born on January 4 ^th , 1952, and their son Scott was born on March 15 ^th , 1954.  Since their family was growing, they moved from Chicago to Wheaton, IL on Vernon Street.  On May 1 ^st , 1964, they had another son Doug, and shortly after they moved to Prairie Avenue in Wheaton where she and Jim spent the next 22 years.  In retirement, Carol and Jim built a ranch house on Champion Forest Court in Wheaton, Carol redesigning many aspects of the original floor plan.  They enjoyed that house for 30 years, hosting family Christmases with their children and grandchildren.

While Carol was raising her family, she was active in the League of Women Voters, Gary United Methodist Church, and volunteered often at a food pantry.  She also belonged to a garden club through which she met several of her lifelong friends.  Carol accompanied her husband Jim on several European business trips and they also traveled extensively by themselves or with good friends to Europe, Canada, US Virgin Islands, and Hawaii.

She is survived by her children Gail (Andrew) Robinson, Scott (Bonnie) Eaton & Doug (Karen) Eaton; her grandchildren Cara (Grant) Hiebert, Ian (Lucy) Robinson, and Matthew & Claire Eaton; her great-grandchildren Owen & Nora Hiebert and Isaac, Wyatt & Emerson Robinson. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 70 years, James Eaton, and her sister, Arlene Lane.

Memorial contributions for Carol J. Eaton can be given through Scholarship America: scholarshipamerica.org .

A Celebration of Life remembering Carol will take place on Saturday, June 25, 2022 at 12:00p.m. at The Moment on Main, 122 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL. Please RSVP by June 15th to Gail at robinson.gail.44@gmail.com

Family and friends may sign a guest book at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.