BARBARA EASON

09/13/1928 - 10/12/2022

Barbara Greengrass Eason, a long-time Houston resident beloved by friends, family and strangers alike for her many acts of “above and beyond” kindness and generosity, passed away on Wednesday, October 12, at the age of 94.

Born in Dallas, Texas to Gertrude and Charles Greengrass, Barbara developed an interest in teaching at an early age. After attending Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri and SMU in Dallas, (where she was listed in the 1949 edition of “Who’s Who in American Colleges”), Barbara earned a master’s in education at the University of Arkansas, subsequently moving to Houston in 1950 where she worked as a 4th grade public school teacher. It was here in the Bayou City that she met the love of her life, Joe Eason, marrying him on December 13, 1953. Theirs was a loving, extraordinary marriage that lasted nearly 70 years.

After retiring from teaching to help raise the couple’s three children, Barbara resumed her career, accepting a teaching position at

St. Luke’s United Methodist Church’s Day School where she eventually became its director and made significant contributions to growing the school’s program. Along with this responsibility, Barbara— a long time member of St. Luke’s—also spent many years instructing two-year-olds in the church’s Sunday school.

Teaching describes only a small part of Barbara’s dedication to the people in her church, and the Houston community at large. After retiring from St. Luke’s Day School, her career evolved into full-time volunteering, including twenty years at Methodist hospital and, as a breast cancer survivor herself, for as many years in the hospital’s breast cancer-related Reach for Recovery program. She also served as a docent at both the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the Bellville Historical Society.

Amongst Barbara’s multiple honors, her most prized was the Distinguished Life Award from St. Luke’s. In addition to being a distinguished member of the church’s Circle organization, Barbara’s educational, civic and charity affiliations included membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), The Daughters of the Republic of Texas, (DRT), Chi Omega, being a past-President of the West University Elementary PTA, sixty-five years as a member of Artists Anonymous, and a seventy-five year membership in the PEO Sorority for Advancement of Education of Women—where she served, respectively, as the organization’s Treasurer, Vice President, and President. Barbara was also a pastPresident of St. Luke’s UMW Association.

Barbara Eason is survived by her husband, Joseph Oliver Eason; daughter Ann Alicia (Eason) Seelen; sons Michael Eason and Joseph Charles “Chuck” Eason; grandchildren Joseph Paul Eason, Melissa Kathryn Eason, Marcus V. Eason, Lucas V. Eason, and Colton Taylor Eason; great-granddaughter Sierra Jean Eason; daughter-in-law Kathryn Allen Eason; sonin-law Barry Seelen; cousin Kathleen Greengrass Bender; nieces Linda Elston and Janet Parker; and nephew Richard Bentz.

The memorial service will take place on October 20, 2022, at 12:30 p.m. at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. For those unable to attend, the service can be streamed at https://www.stlukesmethodist.org/barbara-ann-eason/. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to: Holly Hall Silver Tea @ hollyhall.org.