Milo Donald Eastman
October 14, 1924 — March 9, 2010
Milo Donald Eastman
FRANCONIA - Don Eastman, 85, died Tuesday, March 9, 2010 while at Littleton Hospital after a brief illness.
Don was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Freda (Underhill) and Milo Eastman. He graduated from Woodsville (NH) High School in 1942. Don was an AMMF-2C Flight Engineer on the (two engine) PBM Martin Mariner and (four engine) PB2Y Consolidated Coronado seaplanes in the Navy from 1943 to 1946, where he logged almost a thousand hours of flight time.
In May 1946, Don started working at the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway as a summer guide and in the winter on the Ski Patrol. Over his 20 year tenure there he advanced to Lift Mechanic and Electrician.
In 1966 when an inside (warm) job became available, he began working at the Harrison Publishing House in Sugar Hill, NH in the offset printing department. This involved job preparation, camera work with 20x24 inch negatives, and stripping these for printing. He also worked with photo typesetting equipment to update weekly material price changes for Plumbing Price Books. Retirement started in 1987.
In 1947 Don joined the Burns #66 Masonic Lodge in Littleton and worked his way through the officers stations, becoming the Master of the Lodge in 1960 for two years. Don was eligible to receive his sixty year certificate and lapel pin in October 2007.
Don married Bertha (Bert) Taylor, a Franconia native, on May 7, 1950. Bert succumbed to a cerebral aneurysym ten years ago last September, a few months before they would celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
In 1955 he received his Amateur Radio License; his call letters were W1HAM. In 1957 he became a member of the Franconia Volunteer Fire Department. In 1977, he was appointed a Captain on the departments new 1500 gallon Ford Tanker. This unit was replaced in 2003 with a 2500-gallon Kenworth, to which he continued on as an operator. Since 1980, he served as the departments Secretary and Treasurer. Don considered the Fire Department his second home. In December of 2004, he was awarded a plaque for over 45 years of service; at the time of his passing, he had been with the Fire Department for 52 years. Also, for many years, Don has weekly maintained the towns clock at Dow Academy.
Some of his other interests were in computers, aviation, railroads, photography, sailing, genealogy, Town and local history, vegetable gardening, playing dominos, and monthly Ham radio breakfasts at the Dutch Treat. His old New England ingenuity was invaluable in fixing most anything that was broken.
Don is survived by his brother Roger Eastman of Burlington, Vermont, Harold Eastman and his wife Janet of Locust Grove, Virginia, son, Kendall D. Eastman of Monaca, Pennsylvania, daughter Deborah A. Eastman-Proulx of Loudon, New Hampshire, her husband, Denis and their son Joshua.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 20 at 11 a.m. at the Franconia Fire Station.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to either the Franconia Fire Department, PO Box 900, Franconia, NH 03580 or the Franconia Fast Squad, PO Box 900, Franconia, NH 03580. Arrangements and care have been entrusted to Keller & Pillsbury Funeral Homes. To register an online condolence, please visit www.kellerandpillsburyfh.com.
Don was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Freda (Underhill) and Milo Eastman. He graduated from Woodsville (NH) High School in 1942. Don was an AMMF-2C Flight Engineer on the (two engine) PBM Martin Mariner and (four engine) PB2Y Consolidated Coronado seaplanes in the Navy from 1943 to 1946, where he logged almost a thousand hours of flight time.
In May 1946, Don started working at the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway as a summer guide and in the winter on the Ski Patrol. Over his 20 year tenure there he advanced to Lift Mechanic and Electrician.
In 1966 when an inside (warm) job became available, he began working at the Harrison Publishing House in Sugar Hill, NH in the offset printing department. This involved job preparation, camera work with 20x24 inch negatives, and stripping these for printing. He also worked with photo typesetting equipment to update weekly material price changes for Plumbing Price Books. Retirement started in 1987.
In 1947 Don joined the Burns #66 Masonic Lodge in Littleton and worked his way through the officers stations, becoming the Master of the Lodge in 1960 for two years. Don was eligible to receive his sixty year certificate and lapel pin in October 2007.
Don married Bertha (Bert) Taylor, a Franconia native, on May 7, 1950. Bert succumbed to a cerebral aneurysym ten years ago last September, a few months before they would celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
In 1955 he received his Amateur Radio License; his call letters were W1HAM. In 1957 he became a member of the Franconia Volunteer Fire Department. In 1977, he was appointed a Captain on the departments new 1500 gallon Ford Tanker. This unit was replaced in 2003 with a 2500-gallon Kenworth, to which he continued on as an operator. Since 1980, he served as the departments Secretary and Treasurer. Don considered the Fire Department his second home. In December of 2004, he was awarded a plaque for over 45 years of service; at the time of his passing, he had been with the Fire Department for 52 years. Also, for many years, Don has weekly maintained the towns clock at Dow Academy.
Some of his other interests were in computers, aviation, railroads, photography, sailing, genealogy, Town and local history, vegetable gardening, playing dominos, and monthly Ham radio breakfasts at the Dutch Treat. His old New England ingenuity was invaluable in fixing most anything that was broken.
Don is survived by his brother Roger Eastman of Burlington, Vermont, Harold Eastman and his wife Janet of Locust Grove, Virginia, son, Kendall D. Eastman of Monaca, Pennsylvania, daughter Deborah A. Eastman-Proulx of Loudon, New Hampshire, her husband, Denis and their son Joshua.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 20 at 11 a.m. at the Franconia Fire Station.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to either the Franconia Fire Department, PO Box 900, Franconia, NH 03580 or the Franconia Fast Squad, PO Box 900, Franconia, NH 03580. Arrangements and care have been entrusted to Keller & Pillsbury Funeral Homes. To register an online condolence, please visit www.kellerandpillsburyfh.com.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Milo Donald Eastman, please visit our flower store.
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