Melvin Robert Eaton

November 22, 1932 - March 31, 2022

MELVIN ROBERT EATON November 22, 1932 - March 31, 2022 MELVIN R. EATON, 89, of Torrington said his final goodbye to the world on March 31, 2021 in his home as the sun rose on a beautiful Spring day. He was the youngest of three children born to Tom and Florence Eaton of Veteran, growing up on a homestead still owned by the family west of Yoder. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother John Eaton of Butler, PA, and sister, Margaret Johnson of Laramie, and his wife, Rosalie Rock of Torrington. A 1950 graduate of the Veteran High School Eagles, he was involved in both high school athletics, became an Eagle Scout with the BSA, and engaged in FFA activities for modernized farming. Eaton served active duty during the Korean conflict for two years and four years in Reserves with the Corps of Engineers before coming home to marry Marita Clare Brill who gave him four daughters and a son. In his youth, Melvin’s father, Tom Eaton, moved his family closer to Veteran following doctors orders to get out of the dust-bowl homestead to an irrigated property near the town site of Veteran, where Melvin farmed and raised his children who attended Goshen Hole High School and Southeast High School. An avid farmer and rancher with an interest in contour farming that earned for him an award from state FFA, he spent his early career developing the family property and raising his children, before-- in his later years-- taking on the position of Goshen County Planner and Emergency Manager within Torrington. Within that time, he pursued and completed his Associates degree from Eastern Wyoming College in 1984. Following the dissolution of his first marriage, he later married Rosalie Rock of Torrington in 1977 and moved from Veteran to Torrington in 1988. He kept his administrative position with Goshen County, fulfilling various roles, and managing the family ranch until 2013 before retiring at 80 years old. Within the combined family, Eaton is survived by six daughters and three sons and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, with two children, Thomas Eaton of Veteran, and Cindy (Rock) Breedlove of Torrington residing in Goshen County. Funeral services will be held at Colyer Funeral Home. Viewing is at 3PM- 5PM on Thursday, April 7 and the funeral is at 10 A.M., Friday, April 8th with Bill Eaton from the Yoder Community Church officiating. The funeral will be followed by a short grave-side service at Hillcrest Cemetery in Lingle. Eaton requested that in lieu of flowers that if donations should be made that they should be directed to Diversified Services Inc of Torrington.