Rayona A. Eaton

Rayona Alice (Webb) Eaton, 86, died peacefully on January 13, 2017 at home in Milford, NH, where she lived with her daughter Alexis Eaton and son-in-law Thomas Knapp. She was born March 15, 1930 in Willimantic, CT, a daughter of the late Daisy (Chappell) and Paul Webb. In 1953 she married Conrad Eaton, and they raised five children together. After their divorce in 1977, Rayona worked hard as a single parent to support her family as a bookkeeper for several companies and also as the proprietor of a fabric shop and an ice cream shop. Rayona had a life-long interest in and talent for drawing and painting, and became an accomplished amateur artist. She also loved games and puzzles and was active in her local bridge club. She became a member of MENSA, a non-profit society for people with high IQ’s. Alongside these talents, Rayona was kind and fun-loving and beloved by all who knew her. Whenever she found extra pennies in her pocket, she would throw them out the car window, so that someone else would have the pleasure of finding a lucky penny. When golfing, she did not mind if others saw how poorly she played, saying that they could watch her and then feel better about their own game! Rayona’s family and friends will sorely miss her. They will remember her grace amidst grief, turmoil and personal upheaval, her kind heart, generous nature and excellent sense of humor, her wisdom and intelligence, and her fervent belief in and love of God. Because of these qualities, she was a source of comfort to anyone who needed a compassionate shoulder to lean on. Rayona is survived by her four daughters, Christine Maxfield and her husband Don, Michele Eaton and her husband Mark Burns, Alexis Eaton and her husband Tom Knapp, and Valerie Eaton, as well as her son Jared Eaton and his wife Chris. She also has five grandchildren, Jason and Justin Grammont, Nathan Maxfield, and Matthew and Rachel Eaton, and four great-grandchildren, Kamryn and Cole Maxfield and Kayden and Kyrah Grammont. A celebration of Rayona’s life will be held at one p.m. on May 21 in the Pavilion at the French Club, 116 Club Road, Windham, CT.