Paul F. Eaton, Sr., 98 a long time Walton attorney and former

Mayor, passed away Monday evening March 31 at his home.

Paul Eaton was born on June 16, 1909 in Hudson, NY the son of

Martin B. and Mary Sullivan Eaton. His father, who had been born in

Ireland ran a paint and paper store over which the family lived. Paul

was educated at St. Mary's Academy in Hudson where he was valedictorian

of his high school class, and excelled as an athlete. Many years later

he could recall every detail of scoring the winning points in the City

Championship Game of 1925. In 1930 he graduated from Catholic University

of America in Washington, DC with a BA in Philosophy, and in 1932 he

received his LLB from Albany Law School.

After a short period as a clerk in his brother William's law

office in Hudson, Paul, on the advice of his law school classmate

Livingston Latham of Unadilla, took a position in the office of William

Connor on Delaware Street in Walton. He met his wife, Frances Kellogg,

at the boarding house where they both took their evening meals. Frances

had come to Walton in 1929 to teach home economics at Walton High

School. They were married in 1938. Shortly after their marriage Paul set

up a practice on his own over, what is now, the Country Emporium.

During World War II, Paul served as the Chief Enforcement Officer

in the Binghamton bureau of the United States Office of Price

Administration. The OPA was charged with enforcing price controls during

the War. Following the War, he returned to Walton to practice law. For

the most part he practiced alone, but he was for a time the partner of

New York State Supreme Court Justice Carl J. Mugglin and later counsel

to his son Paul's firm of Eaton Griffith & DeGroat. His practice was

general in nature and continued until he was past 90. His sometime

client, the late United States Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, spoke of

Paul on the Senate floor on his 87th birthday:

"Paul made Walton his home; he was elected village police

justice and mayor; served in the Office of Price

Administration during World War II; spent over a half

century as trustee of St.John the Baptist Church; married

Frances Kellogg, raised a family; remained a loyal Democrat;

played golf; and practiced law. And may I say, Madam

President he has practiced law and continues to practice

law, in a manner that brings nothing but honor to that

profession. Paul is a general practitioner. He draws wills,

handles real estate closings, tries cases, and counsels his

clients. His reputation as a skillful lawyer is matched only

by his reputation for honesty and integrity."

While a majority of his practice consisted of office work, Paul

won some substantial victories in the courtroom, including the Town of

Colchester's lawsuit against the City of New York to enforce the City's

obligations to maintain the roads around the Pepacton Reservoir. As

Paul's friend Tim Russert put it in his book Big Russ & Me, "Paul F.

Eaton is a small town lawyer who never thought of himself as being

smarter than the big city rainmakers, although he probably is." But his

sons say that when it came to trying cases "he knew that if he worked

harder and prepared more than other lawyers, his chances of success were

that much better. That's what he taught us: preparation is everything."

In addition to his law practice, he participated in various

business activities. He was for many years counsel for the National Bank

of Delaware County and served on its board of directors. He was also on

the board of the Walton-East Branch Foundry and of the Walton

Homeowners' Association which developed Maple Street. He was active on

the committee to keep the New York Ontario & Western Railroad from

ceasing operations, although those efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.

He also devoted himself to public affairs. In the 1930's he was

appointed State Tax Attorney for Delaware County and was elected Police

Justice of the Village of Walton. In 1951 he was elected to a two year

term as Village Mayor. It was during his time as Mayor that the

bathhouse was built at the swimming pool, the slope for sledding was

developed at Bassett Park and the now long gone parking meters were

installed on Delaware Street. He was also appointed by Governor Cuomo to

serve on the committee to fill vacancies on State courts in the 3rd

Judicial Department. A staunch Democrat, he ran for District Attorney

and County Judge as his Party's standard bearer. He often served as the

master-of-ceremonies at Delaware County Democratic dinners.

Although a Democrat, in recent years, he readily took on the task

of making a presentation to the Delaware County Board of Supervisors

that resulted in the naming of a portion of NYS Route 206 for his

longtime friend the late Republican State Senator E. Ogden Bush.

Paul was perhaps most proud of his role in the growth of Delhi

College. He served on the College Council for two decades and from 1969

to 1974 was the Council's Chairman. He was an admirer and supporter of

Dr. William Kinsella and of his successful work to build a new campus,

construct the college golf course, and expand the school's curriculum.

Paul was named the Delaware County Citizen of the Year by the county

Chamber of Commerce in1978 and received the Liberty Bell Award from the

Delaware County Bar Association in 1979.

For over fifty years Paul served as a trustee of St. John the

Baptist Roman Catholic Church. He was active in the planning and

construction of the new church and in the reinstallation of the stained

glass windows. He also assisted in the writing of the official history

of St. Johns. In 2004 the Church honored him for his service.

He was predeceased by his sisters Jane O'Sullivan and Margaret

Palmer; and by his brothers Leonard and William Eaton.

In addition, Paul's wife Frances Kellogg Eaton predeceased him in

1994; as did his daughter Mary Phillips Eaton in 2002.

Paul is survived by his son Paul F Eaton, Jr. and his wife Stefka

Z. Eaton of Sidney, as well as their children Katherine Ignatowski and

her husband Jeff, Shane Eaton, and Elizabeth Eaton-Ferenzi and her

husband Steve. He is also survived by his son Richard K. Eaton and his

wife Susan Henshaw Jones of New York City and their children Alice and

Liza Eaton. Two great-grandchildren survive, Isabelle and Owen Ignatowski.

A memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. John the Baptist

Catholic Church at 25 Benton Avenue in Walton on Saturday May 3 at

1:30PM.

Memorial contributions in Paul's memory may be made to St. John the Baptist Church, 17 Benton Ave., Walton, NY 13856.