Mary Evalyn (Towns) Eaton was born January 8, 1932, near Palco, Kansas, to Abiram Brooks Towns and Myrtle Caroline (Truesdell) Towns. She grew up in western Kansas and attended Palco High School, forming the roots of a life that would remain closely tied to family, faith, and home.

On December 27, 1949, at the age of seventeen, Mary married Joe Eaton at Canaan Chapel Church of the Nazarene, a place that would remain spiritually significant throughout her life. Together they built a home centered on faith, hospitality, and care for others. To this union were born three sons: Daniel Joe Eaton; Donald Ray Eaton; and Dale Gene Eaton.

Mary’s life’s work was not defined by a profession outside the home, but by the deep and steady ministry she carried out within it. She was a homemaker in the truest sense of the word, creating spaces of comfort and welcome for anyone who crossed her threshold. She loved to prepare rooms for guests, making sure each person felt seen and cared for. At different seasons, grandchildren and family members lived under her roof, always finding a place of belonging there. Mary found joy in sewing, quilting, cooking, gardening, and crafting of every kind. She was widely known as an exceptional pie maker, especially for her pecan pie, which became a cherished tradition for many who gathered at her table. More than anything, she loved to take care of people.

Her faith in Jesus Christ was the foundation of her life. Mary attended Canaan Chapel Church of the Nazarene from her birth until its closing in the 1990s. She prayed faithfully each night and often spoke of her desire to remain “in the center of Christ’s will.” Her quiet devotion, steadfast prayer, and enduring trust shaped the way she lived and loved.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Eaton; sons, Daniel Joe Eaton and Dale Gene Eaton; daughters-in-law, Lynette (Aune) Eaton and Barbara Bonham Eaton; parents; and her siblings, Bernita, Robert, Charlotte, Wallace, Harold, and Maurice.

She is survived by her son, Donald Ray Eaton; sister, Shirley (Towns) Burr; grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Britney (Eaton) and Scott Rice of Olathe, Kansas, and their children Mary (Chandler) Brooke, Matthew, and Maxwell; Joshua and Tiffany Eaton of Palco, Kansas, and their children Joe and Andrew; Caleb and Sara Eaton of Leadville, Colorado, and their children Emma, Ana, and Avery; Darci (Eaton) and Eric Kimmerling of Hendersonville, Tennessee, and their children Skylar and Ivy; and Matthew and Deborah Eaton of Holt, Michigan, and their children Eliana, Annelise, Micah, Janey, Zephaniah, and Asher; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and other family members.

Mary’s life was marked by steady love, faithful prayer, and a home that always had room for one more. She leaves behind a legacy of care, devotion, and quiet faith that will continue to live on in the family she cherished.

A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 1:00 PM at the Nazarene Church in Plainville. Burial will follow at Green Mound Cemetery in Palco. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service starting at Noon at the church.

Memorial contributions may be made to NW KS AG Education Center and sent to Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, 320 SW 2nd, Plainville, KS 67663.