| Graduation Year | Faculty |
| Date of Passing | Dec 02, 2018 |
| About | Benjamin P. Van Eaton of Sunnyside, passed away peacefully on December 2, 2018, surrounded by loving family. Ben was born on February 18, 1923 in Saskatoon, Canada to his parents Benjamin and Alice Van Eaton. Ben’s parents (from Tacoma, WA) had emigrated with extended family to the homestead in Canada. That endeavor was unsuccessful and the family moved to Yakima, WA and then settled to Sunnyside, WA. Ben graduated from Sunnyside High School in Spring 1941 and enrolled at Washington State College in the fall. Soon, World War 2 began and Ben was drafted into the U.S. Army. He became a radio operator for the Army’s 97th division, 386th Regiment, company I. After initial training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Ben was transferred to several training bases before his company was dispatched to Europe in 1944. His company saw combat as he carried the heavy backpack and radio gear across Germany during the coldest winter of the war. They ended the war in Europe in Czechoslovakia. The regiment was transferred to Japan after a brief home leave. After finally returning home, Ben restarted his quest to complete his college education. He studied foreign language, attending Washington State College, The University of Wisconsin, Middlebury College, and earning his master degree in German and Spanish during summer school at Stanford. He taught at Eisenhower High School in Yakima, WA; there he met and married his student teacher mentor, Audrey Darrow, they wed in 1954. Ben and Audrey spent a fascinating year in Austria where he was a foreign exchange teacher. Ben and Audrey loved to travel, making a number of trips to Europe and South America, sometimes with Some of Ben’s high school students. They especially liked taking Elder Hostel trips to Southwestern US. They also enjoyed exploring the Northwest, which they did every summer during the school recess. Ben and Audrey had a very active social life which included both extended family and their many friends. Ben maintained a relationship with a number of his past students from Eisenhower. Especially Laurie Julius-Carver, Ricard Lyon and Steve Guilland, the artist of the drawing being used for the picture. Ben is survived by his wife, Audrey Van Eaton (Sunnyside, WA), sister Alice Chopper (Sunnyside, WA), brother and sister in law, David and Janice Van Eaton (Sunnyside, WA), and a menagerie of nephews and nieces. The couple requested that no service be held. Those wishing to make donations are requested to direct them to the Yakima chapter of the Union Gospel Mission. Family would like to thank the many friends who have contacted them and shared special memories of Ben. |
