Sharlene Mae Eaton

Sharlene Mae Smith Eaton, 93, passed away on February 5, 2022, at the Homestead Senior Living Center in Rexburg, Idaho. She was born July 31, 1928, in Aberdeen, Idaho to Marion and Ruby Jameson Smith, the first of six children. She grew up in Shelley, Idaho, attended Shelley schools and then Brigham Young University. She married Joseph Stanley Eaton (Joe) on February 4, 1948, in the Idaho Falls Temple. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many callings. She worked for many years as a legal secretary and after she retired from INL as an administrator, she served as a church family history missionary for 15 years. She was active in the Young Republicans and the Republican Women and served on the Shelley City Council, the first woman to do so.

Mom loved God, family and country.

She was a woman of strong faith and loved her Savior Jesus Christ. She loved to read, study and learn and attended institute classes and traveled to Israel twice. She loved teaching gospel doctrine in church and had fond memories of directing a stake Relief Society choir and teaching special needs seminary.

Mom loved her family. We often joked that she could squeeze more out of a dollar than anyone! It must be from her Scottish ancestry and having gone through the Great Depression and being very poor. She found the money for music instruments, piano lessons, dance lessons and on and on. She was a great cook and loved to feed anyone who walked through the door. Her passion was family history and she loved gardening and serving wherever she was needed.

Mom loved to watch the news and kept up with current events. It seems she passed that down to all of her children. She was a great example of loving her country and being involved.

Mom was preceded in death by her husband; parents; her siblings, Marvin, Laverne, Marianne, Bill and Jimmy; granddaughter Michele Hitz; grandsons Shane Eaton and Shawn Eaton; and great grandson Jackson Hitz. Lots of family and friends to welcome her home.

She is survived by her children: Kathy Hitz (Phil); Jeff Eaton (Oakley); Julie McGrath (Steve); Rich Eaton (Dot); Joni Burtenshaw (Van); Lisa Dalmas (Steve); Jon Eaton (Shauna); Todd Eaton (Lisa); Tim Eaton (Danaye); step-son Ron (Tia); 37 grandchildren ; 93 great grandchildren; and 2 great great grandchildren.

Mom was spotlighted in the Shelley Pioneer years ago and she wrote that her philosophy of life is: “I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may be in, for I have learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our disposition and not upon our circumstances.” (Martha Washington)

The family would like to especially thank our sister, Julie McGrath, for all she has done to love and support our parents the past few years as she fought for VA benefits for our dad and managed the financial affairs for them. She has gone above and beyond and we are all very grateful to her. Thank you Tim and Danaye for taking care of Mom the past 22 months and thank you to the staff and caregivers at Homestead Assisted Living and Hospice in Rexburg, especially Tyler, Dylan, Deann, Maribell, Annalee, Jen, and Matt. We appreciate the kindness and care you gave our Mother.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, February 12, 2022 at the Shelley Eighth Ward Chapel, (184 North Park Ave). The family will receive friends Friday evening from 6:00 till 7:30 P.M. at Nalder Funeral Home (110 West Oak) in Shelley and Saturday morning from 9:30 till 10:45 A.M. at the church. Burial will be in the Shelley Hillcrest Cemetery.

Those who would like to participate in the funeral service remotely are invited to view the service on a live broadcast at https://sites.google.com/view/shelleystake/sacrament and selecting 1st/4th/8th Building.














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