By Lauren FitzPatrick
Staff writer
Bob Eaton was a born entertainer. With his lady love, Ethel, by his side, they sang, danced and acted in any troupe that would have them.
Founding members of the Beverly Theatre Guild, Mr. Eaton and his wife of 50 years performed all over the Southland, be it on stage or at a local piano joint.
“He was happy, upbeat, always ready to break out into song,” son Mark Eaton said.
The young couple just kind of happened upon the Beverly group.
What had begun as a Chicago Park District program blossomed into a wandering breakaway bunch that eventually settled into the old Beverly Arts Center building when it was built in 1969.
Later they would move into the current Arts Center.
Meanwhile, they did shows in area high schools, church basements — anywhere they could find the space, Eaton said.
“My parents had always had an interest in singing, and then the acting thing just sort of came along,” their son said.
Robert Eaton, of Chicago’s Beverly community, died March 13. He was 81.
Born in Chinook, Mont., Mr. Eaton lived in Minnesota and Wisconsin before settling in Chicago, where his father ran a luncheonette by the old stockyards.
During World War II, Mr. Eaton joined the Army, and served overseas in Africa and Italy with the 1st Armored Division. The bullet he took in Italy left him with a lifelong limp.
“He was really in some pain with every step he took, but you’d never know it,” Mark Eaton said. “He was never known to complain about problems or pain in his legs.”
Mr. Eaton met his future missus at a picnic. They shared a love of singing and would act in shows for many of their five decades together.
Aside from the Beverly group, they also acted with Theatre Two, the Showcase Theatre, the Tinley Park Theatre group and many others.
“This was their leisure and their fun thing to do,” Eaton said.
Jean Fleszewski met Mr. Eaton in the 1980s when she became the Daily Southtown’s community theater columnist.
He was stocky, already up there in years and walked with a limp. She couldn’t take her eyes off him.
“There was something about him and the way he delivered himself and portrayed himself, it was so believable” Fleszewski said. “You could really get into a story when he was on the stage.”
Mr. Eaton’s rendition of Wally Lomax in Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” stuck with her.
“He was just such a presence on stage,” she said. “The way that he treated the character, he personified him.”
Whenever Mr. Eaton opened his mouth, to deliver a line or to sing, people paid attention, Fleszewski said.
He used to drop in to an old piano bar at 103rd and Western — the Summer West Beefstro — and sing whatever pianist Bob Duffy was banging out.
“He used to love to sing the old Frank Sinatra songs with that booming baritone voice of his, and people loved it,” she said. “He obviously loved performing.”
By day, Mr. Eaton earned a paycheck from the railroads. He retired from the General Electric Railcar company. He spent what little free time he had with buddies at his VFW post in Oak Lawn, the American Legion in Evergreen Park and a disabled veterans group.
“That’s what’s so interesting about community theater,” Fleszewski said. “It gives people from all walks of life that want to be before an audience … something to share.”
Mr. Eaton also is survived by his wife, Ethel; his son, Christopher Eaton; his sister, Alice Brown; his brother, Francis Eaton; and many nieces, nephews, friends and fans.
Arrangements were by Edgar Funeral Home, (708) 423-1600.
Lauren FitzPatrick may be reached at lfitzpatrick@dailysouthtown.com or (708) 633-5964.
