Walter Easton Sr. was born Feb. 15, 1923, to catholic parents in Palmetto, Mr. Easton left school at an early age, to work as a laborer in the railroad yard of Palmetto, until enlisting in the United States Navy at seventeen years old. After completing his training in San Diego, Calif., he was stationed at Pearl Harbor during World War II, where he performed his duties honorably and later earned the rank of Seaman 1st Class in a segregated company. He became a very good cook and dock worker until a life-threatening accident on the docks, where after airlifted to Walter Reed Naval Hospital for more surgery. He was medically discharged honorably in 1949 at San Diego, Calif.
Mr. Easton used his GI Bill to attend Tuskegee University as a journalist student type setter. He left after two years and married a young lady, Pearline Simien from DeQuincy, where they resided on Simien property. Mr. Easton learned spices and sours, etc., from a chef in New Orleans, prior to moving to DeQuincy. There, he met his mother-in-law, Gillie Simien, who taught him how to prepare wild game for cooking meals. He learned the hospitality business from a few black retired military men in DeQuincy and became a member of Local #227 in Lake Charles. He divorced his wife and relocated to Beaumont, Texas, and became a liquor salesman. He began his journey of finally opening his first of two bars, with kitchens. He enjoyed freshwater fishing, reading history, and watching baseball on television. He was a neat dresser, always with highly shined shoes, and a hard worker that people admired and respected. He returned, in later years, where he and his brother-in-law became special deputies for the sheriff department in the 1990s and became a crossing guard for the school district until 2014. He will be greatly missed for his extreme patience and kindness to people. He was always a champion for education, voting, and being well groomed. He became a member of Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church in 2021 because he enjoyed the gospel. Also, he volunteered to move into DeQuincy Care Center because of squatters on Simien estate property finally with a court ordered eviction.
He is survived by family members, his son, Walter Jr. of San Francisco, Calif., wife, Annette W. Easton (deceased), and daughter, Savannah Gentry with son River Demayo of Madison, Wis., Mother, Sally Gentry of Vallejo, Calif., brother, Sam Gentry and wife Theresa of Texas – Livingston family, northern and southern California, Arizona and Texas – The Fontenot family, Texas, Louisiana, and southern California, The Simien family, northern and southern California, Carthage, Mississippi, Baytown and Houston, Texas. Wives: Betty (Blackwell) Easton Rogers of Texas – daughter, Melinda and her husband Milton Leday and family, Bessie Foster (Easton) Cage and a son Michael Anthony (Easton) Cabe and family of Louisiana. Nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends too numerous to mention.
He was preceded in death by Earnestine Easton of Beaumont, Texas, Elizabeth Brown Easton, no children known after 1993, son Michael Anthony of Baton Rouge, parents, Emma Jack White and Arthur Will White of DeQuincy, Uncle Thomas Jack of Los Angeles County and his wife, Aunt Florence Jack (Griffin) Smith and husband, Houston of Beaumont, Texas, brothers-in-law, Ivory Simien, Samson, Milton, Ennis, Benny, and David; Charles Faulk-Lloyd Harvey and Rosetta Davis of DeQuincy; siblings, Melina Livingston of San Francisco, Calif. and Fannie Jackson of DeQuincy.
Special thanks to Dr. Kohler and Reed on Sept. 8, 2014, for saving my dad’s life and patient advocate for notifying me in time and providing excellent care so that I could get there and help with his rehab. The family will always be grateful for the additional years it gave him to live. Also, we thank the city officials, Mayor, Chief of Police, and Sheriff’s office for their kindness. He never wanted to leave DeQuincy for housing or to avoid hurricanes or tornadoes. Also, we owe gratitude to the Love Community Mission, Brighton Bridge Hospice, DeQuincy Care Center, and finally to Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church and the many friends for generations, who helped the city prosper for years.
God Bless. . . Proverbs 3:1-12.
He was laid to rest at Southwest Louisiana Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery in Jennings under the direction of James Funeral Home in Lake Charles.
(Paid Memorial)
