he was a good and Godly man that i have known and loved for most of fifty years and I miss him. I pray peace to Lois Jean and the family . 

As his Spanish teacher for three years, I found that Harvill was a brilliant, creative student who enjoyed life, his friends and learning.  He helped me with the electronics of a language laboratory and with his friends in class wrote some very interesting and creative conversations in Spanish which they presented to their class every week. He and his classmates were among my favorite students at Two Rivers High School and he is already sorely missed.

Harvil and I met first as Freshman in the same dorm at TTU.  He and Steve Dozier encouraged me to pledge Theta Tau Fraternity and we became "brothers" and good friends.  Recently after many years we had a good conversation and got caught up on family and career.  So sorry to hear about his passing and my condolences to Lois and family.   Mickey Phipps

My condolences to Dr. Eaton's family at this time.   Harvill was sincere in his efforts to improve the world around him and had a wonderful sense of humor!   I remember meeting him on my first day at Drexel University and was struck by his genuine niceness.   I have many happy memories of his time at Drexel and will remember him as a scholar and gentleman.   

I will forever be grateful to Dr. Eaton for giving me the opportunity to be the Head Football Coach at Cumberland University. We had dinner at Logan's Roadhouse in Gallatin, Tn. and he offered me the job. I worked with Dr. Eaton for seven years and his door was always open. While serving as an interim in the Engineering department at Tennessee Tech last year, we often had lunch together in the TTU cafeteria. We both shared strong feelings for CU and TTU. Prayers of comfort for Lois and the family. Go Bulldogs!

Dr. Harvill Eaton was very caring and humble. A man of great measure. I pray the Almighty God to receive him in heaven, console and strengthen his family to endure their loss.

Probably the finest, most well-rounded person I have ever known.  I know he touched many people, thus lives on.

Harvill was one of the first people to reach  out to me when I was the “new girl” at TRHS.  His kindness, intellect and wisdom made classes infinitely better.  We have communicated occasionally over the years.  I never knew his family but I feel their loss. 
He was truly a good man.
Marilyn Meares

Wanted you to know how very proud we are of all of Harvill's accomplishments in life.  He was smart, funny, and a friend to all who met him.  I know that Aunt Margaret wanted me to address him as Dr. Harvill, Dr. Eaton or Dr. Butch.  I just could not do that. However, to me, even now, we are all still young, a forever summer memory. You will always be just "Butch".  Rest for now and one day soon we all shall gather together.  Cousin Sharon and family.

Harvill was a true Southern Gentleman and a Life Long Pirate that will be missed by one and all. Rest In Peace....


I met Harvill when I was a sophomore at Tennessee Tech.  We were both in Theta Tau and both lived in the (loosely described) fraternity house.  I remember when Harvill first met Lois.  He immediately knew she was the person he wanted to spend his life with.  Harvill has always been like that.  He knew what he wanted, made a plan and persevered until he achieved his goal.  Although Harvill had much academic and career success, he considered his biggest achievement Lois and his family.   I will always remember Harvill as fun-loving and energetic, but he was also a very caring and loyal person.  I am honored to be able to call Harvill a friend.

Rest in peace cousin Butch. Such a unique human being that made us proud at every turn. What a multitalented super smart individual yet down to earth who always seemed up and loving life and people. I'll forever remember our younger times with Bobby, Margaret, Connie, Mike, Annette, Momma, Daddy and myself sitting around doing what Eaton's do, talking. My sympathy to Lois and family.

I was so deeply sorry to hear of the passing of our brilliant TRHS ‘66 classmate, Dr. Harvill Eaton!  Harvill and his family and I were neighbors during high school, and  I admired him as one of our smartest, nicest, and most promising fellow Pirates.  However, after graduation, I lost touch with him, as well as with many others, when my college and professional years were spent outside of Tennessee.  Much to my surprise and delight, he and I later reconnected briefly in Philadelphia, where he joined the academic administration of Drexel U., and I was a professor at Temple.  He and Lois even attended one of my productions there.  When I announced that I was taking a new job at LSU, his former school, Harvill appeared both astonished and amused that I was heading South to create, as he called it, “opera on the bayou”!  Later, when I learned that he had returned to Middle Tennessee as President of Cumberland U., I was very happy for him.  Harvill was a man who courted greatness and found it repeatedly throughout his rich and successful life.  I truly hope that he is now resting in peace and that all of his family members and his wealth of friends and colleagues will hold their happy memories of him in their hearts forever!!

George always said Cumberland University was so blessed to have Harvill as their President.  He  held him in the highest esteem and enjoyed the years they worked together as Professor and student and as colleagues.  

I am so sorry for your loss.  I pray you feel God’s love and comfort during this time.  

Dr. Eaton was a Mentor and a friend to me. I miss him and am so sad we didn’t get to meet again. Our conversations won’t be forgotten and forever will be some of my fondest memories from my time at Cumberland. 

My regards to his family and Louis 





Please know that the short time I knew him in the hospital made a huge impact on me.  His love for God and his family shown through, even when so ill.  I will always remember that after praying for him, he in turn prayed for me. May God give you peace.  He truly has been rewarded his.  - T. Taylor, Chaplain TriStar Summit Medical Center. 

My favorite memory was at one of the CU Homecoming Games when I was on the Cheer Team. Dr. Eaton wanted to get the Crowd pumped!! So... He took my cheer Pom’s and led the whole CU crowd in a cheer!! He always had such a heart and passion for his students at CU! 

I served so many lunches in the president's office. Many dinners in his home. He was always gracious and showed a great love for Cumberland University. He will be missed.

I will always be appreciative of Dr. Eaton sitting with us at the lunch tables at Cumberland University in between classes to see how we were doing. 

I was in Leadership Wilson with Dr. Eaton-he was such a personable person and loved Cumberland. University!  He made many milestones in so many ways!

What sad news to get a call from Coach Woody Hunt about Dr. Eaton passing away.  I so appreciated the many conversations we had after moving back to Lebanon in 2008.  We shared a deep love for Cumberland University.  I will remember Harvill as someone who was approachable by anyone.  He always enjoyed a good laugh and knew when to be serious.  He loved talking about any topic including religion and politics!  Gonna miss him.  Prayers to his grieving family     

This makes me so sad he was such a kind hearted loving person and gave his all to Cumberland University in Lebanon Tennessee

I have only fond memories of my TRHS classmate and friend. Our antics with him, Steve Dozier & Gayle Greek  make me smile. I was proud of his achievements. We had a nice talk about a mutual friend in academia at our 50th reunion. Harvill was such a great guy, a true gentleman. I hold him in a special place in my heart, Jane

OBITUARY

Harvill Carlton Eaton

May 16, 1948 – March 2, 2020

Craciun Berry Funeral Home

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