- Date Of Birth: December 21, 1919
- Date Of Death: January 4, 2021
- State: Indiana
Mary Frances (Ellis) Easton, wife, mother, sister, grandma, great-grandmother, aunt, friend, excellent homemaker, artist and seamstress went home to be with the Lord on January 4, 2021 after a long, long, blessed life and recently celebrating her 101st birthday.
Mary was born on December 21, 1919 in Monroe County, IN., to Alfred Estes Ellis and Pauline Hamm Ellis. She was the eldest of two daughters, with Norma Jean born ten years later. Mary spent her teenage years living at the Fox Cliff Estates where her Father was the foreman on the original grounds owned by the famous Gillette family.
Mary married her husband, Robert (Bob) Eugene Easton in 1940 and together they had seven children. All three girls, Pamela Joan and twins Penelope Ann and Janice Leone unfortunately died within their first year. Mary and Bob remained determined to have more children and four boys were born, Robert Eugene, Christian Ellis, Curtis Paul and Kevin Charles. The boys were raised with a Christian upbringing as evidenced in Ephesians 6:1-4.
Mary was multi-talented with diverse interests as she was an excellent seamstress making drapes in her home for sale to local customers and various furniture firms throughout Indiana. At the same time she was perfecting her home seamstress business, Mary managed the household while Bob managed his graphic artist and professional photography studio. Mary and Bob were well-known artists and members of the Hoosier Hills Art Guild, serving in many leadership roles.
Mary had many interesting experiences in her lifetime. She lived through the fallout of WWI, the world’s first audio movie and the first color television, The Depression, WWII and all the wars since, the introduction of chemotherapy treatments – which was instrumental in her own recovery from breast cancer, man’s first step on the moon, the demolition of the Berlin Wall, the worldwide web invention and surviving the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mary loved family gatherings where fresh, delicious baked goods awaited all and afterward many games of pool were a must, where she excelled as a “shark/hustler” and took great pride in beating her boys in a “friendly” game. Mary was fond of the many hours she spent with Bob Jr. helping his Dad with his photo finishing business. They worked together in the family basement to dry and sort photographs after Dad developed the film and printed the photos. Bob Jr. was then dispatched as a bicycle courier to return the finished photos and to collect more films from the half dozen drop-off locations in Bloomington. She was very appreciative of the countless hours Chris would spend with her during the last few years talking of Jesus Christ and our place in the glory of Heaven and the two of them singing the hymn, In The Garden. She relished the music compilations produced by Curt of his Dad playing the piano and guitar and other famous musicians they both enjoyed listening to. Being an avid fishing enthusiast, she always enjoyed a good day of fishing and attending the music performances at the IU Jacobs School of Music with Kevin.
Surviving Mary are: Three sons: Robert Eugene Easton (wife, Eva) of Sloatsburg, NY, Christian Ellis Easton, Sr. (wife, Susan) of Bloomington, IN and Kevin Charles Easton (wife, Joy) of Oolitic, IN; daughter-in-law: Linda Easton of Ellettsville, IN; sister: Norma Jean Whetstone (Husband, Everett) of Santa Maria, CA; Grandchildren: Heidi Easton-Pichler (Husband, Franz-Georg) of Villach, Austria, Evan Easton (wife, Sabrina) of Lakeville, MN, Paul Easton (wife, Michaela) of Dandridge, TN, Christian Easton, Jr. (wife, Amie) of Ellettsville, IN, Jennifer Coward of Greencastle, IN Lisa Wilkerson (Husband, Tony) of Bloomington, IN, Kenneth Amick (wife, Tannielle) of Greeley, CO and Nathan Easton (Becky) of Coal City, IN; Great grandchildren: Marcus, Hannah and Georg Pichler of Villach, Austria, Ewan Easton of Lakeville, MN, Daniel, Keilah and Seanna Lily of Dandridge, TN, Olivia, Avonleigh and Sebastian Easton of Ellettsville, IN, David Coward of Coatsville, IN, Moriah Coward of Greencastle, IN and Brad Wilkerson (wife, Adrianne) of Bloomington, IN, Ryne Wilkerson (wife, Amy) Ellettsville, IN, Quentin and Gavin Amick of Greeley, CO; Great-Great Grandchildren: Taylyn Wilkerson (Brad and Adrianne), Anslee Wilkerson (Ryne and Amy); A multitude of Nephews and Nieces.
Preceding Mary in death are: Her husband, Robert Eugene Easton, Sr.; daughter, Pamela Joan Easton and Twin daughters, Penelope Ann and Janice Leone Easton; son, Curtis Paul Easton.
We are grateful for the care, kindness and compassion shown by the Richland Bean Blossom Health Care staff for the last three years.
