Mr. Charles Emerson Eaton, Sr., the son of the late Reverend and Mrs. John William Eaton, was born on March 28, 1923 in Greenville, North Carolina.

Since 1957, he lived in Winston-Salem, NC.  He attended the public schools of Greenville, NC and was a graduate of Winston-Salem Teachers College and North Carolina A&T State University.

Charles Emerson Eaton, Sr. was a teacher by profession.  He began his career in 1945 as a teacher and coach at Jordan Sellars High School after working five years in Burlington he taught and coached seven years, 1950-1957 in his hometown, Greenville, NC.  He moved to Winston-Salem, NC in 1952.  Mr. Eaton taught at Columbia Heights, Brown, Skyland, and Speas Elementary.  In 1970 he was transferred to Cook Elementary where he served as assistant principal.  He also served as assistant principal at Cash Elementary in Kernersville, NC from 1977 through 1986 when he retired.  From 1957 through 1985 he was a part time recreation center worker and supervisor with the City of Winston-Salem Parks and Recreation Department.  Charles worked as a substitute teacher for the WSFCS until the year of 2015, he was 90 years old.

"BIG RED" Eaton, as he was often called, was inducted into the Winston-Salem State University Sports Hall of Fame in 1980.

Charles was a faithful and loyal member of Dellabrook Presbyterian Church for numerous years where he sang on the choir and was a member of the Diaconates Board.

After marrying Romaine, Charles began to attend New Bethel Baptist Church quite regularly with her.  He and the late Dr. Jerry Drayton, Sr. were already very good friends so it didn't take long before Charles decided to move his membership to New Bethel.  Charles was also a faithful and loyal member of New Bethel until his health declined.  He was a member of the Communion Singers, Men's Day Choir, and Laymen League.  October 16, 2011, Charles was named Layman of the Year at New Bethel.

In 1945 he married Dorothea Hairston Venable.  To that union eight children were born, Deitra, Avenida, Charles, Jr., Bernard, Ricky, Thornton, Gerard, and Zeffrey Eaton.

In 2004, November 24 ^th , Charles asked Romaine Hollis to be his wife.  To that union, Romaine's two sons, Marvin Brockman and William Hollis along with Charles' eight children became a blended family.

Mr. Eaton was preceded in death by his parents; two sons, Charles Emmerson, Jr. and Dr. Bernard Thomas Eaton; five sisters, Lina, Anna Alberta, Mary, Mattie, and Wymer; and three brothers, John, Jr., Ernest, and William Eaton.

"BIG RED" leaves cherished memories with his wife,  Ethel Romaine Eaton; two daughters, Deitra (Roy) Cates of Durham, NC and Avenida (Spencer) Glenn; four sons, Ricky (Denise), Thornton, Gerard (Sandra), and Zeffrey Eaton; two step-sons, Marvin Brockman and William Hollis, II all of the city; thirteen grandchildren, Tonilea, Kedrin, Letia, Recco, London, Karmyn, Shannon, Kimberly, Germel, Eric, Huestyn, Chase, and Chance; several great-grandchildren; two sisters-in-law, Deronda (John) Lucas and Kay Whitley; and a host of numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 12noon Monday, February 20, 2017 at New Bethel Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. Kendall D. Jones, Sr. officiating and Reverend Dr. Carlton Eversley eulogist.  Interment will follow in Piedmont Memorial Gardens. The family visitation will be held from 11:00am until 12noon on Monday at the Church.