Iris Carol June Eaton

Iris Gould Eaton, 86, passed away September 4, 2014 at her home in Heber, Utah from complications of a stroke suffered on June 18th.

Born in Inglewood, California on June 14, 1928 to Violet (Lund) and Alvin Carl Kuchenbacker who divorced when Iris was 19 months old. Iris’s childhood was spent moving often within California and/or Utah and attending many grade and high schools. Iris was later adopted by an uncle and aunt, Ernest Wesley and Hattie Ellen (Moser) Gould, of Orange, California.

Her higher education started at Santa Ana Junior College and continued at Los Angeles City College, Bishop Johnson College of Nursing, University of Southern California, Niagara University in New York, and she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education and a minor in science from California State University at Long Beach. At various times she also took post-graduate courses and seminars.

Iris married Leland (Lee) Victor Eaton, of Niagara Falls, New York, in 1947. They had three children, Barry and Joyce who were born in Niagara Falls, New York and Constance born in Orange California. Iris and Lee divorced in 1961.

Iris’s work career started in 1951 as an elementary school teacher. Ten years later, as an elementary school vice-principal, she had to change careers in order to support her family. She began at the American Bankers Association teaching letter writing to adult bank officers.

As computers were just being introduced into industry and business in the early 1960’s Iris learned to program and manage small specialized up to large main-frame computers. Her abilities gained her employment at Collins Radio, Hale-Carter, Inc., TRW and America Express’s subsidiary Payment Systems Inc.

Retiring in 1990, at the death of her father, Iris returned to Utah and settled in Heber to be with family. She was called to serve in the Heber Valley Family History Center located in Midway. From September 1996 to May 1998 Iris served full time as a Family History Center missionary in the Hawaii, Honolulu Mission. While restoring her home, an eleven year project, she was called to serve as a Church service missionary and served at the Joseph Smith Memorial building in Salt Lake City helping in the development of the church’s first on-line genealogy programs.

Iris is survived by her sister Lucille Frances Kuchenbacker Lund (Andrew (Andy) Saez) of Durango, Colorado; half-sisters and brother, Leanna Lake (Jon Rose) of Sandy, Utah; Darrell Lake (Barbara) of Farmington, Utah; Holly Lake, of Farmington, Utah; her children, Barry Eaton (Carol Bender) and Joyce Grant (Robert) of Heber, Utah and Constance Maynard (Charles) of Santa Clara, Utah.

Iris has joined 1 grandchild who preceded her in passing. She is survived by 33 grandchildren, 58 great-grandchildren and 1 great, great grandchild.

Viewing will be Thursday, September 11th, from 6PM to 8PM and Friday, September 12th 10:30 to 11:30AM at the Heber 8th, 12th and 14th wards chapel; 1205 West 650 South. Family and friends are invited to celebrate Iris’s mortal life and passing on Friday, September 12th at 12 noon.