At 101-years-old, World War II veteran Jack Eaton loved to dance.
His daughter, Brenda Warburton says, “He and my mom used to back in the day they belonged to a country club and they went to all the dances and night cruises and he said we danced from the time the band started until the band ended. And he kept dancing.”
But he is better known as the oldest known living sentinel that guarded the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Arlington National Cemetery, serving from 1938 to 1940.
It was an honor Jack was very proud of.
“He would just say to anybody when he walked into the drug store or he was waiting for a prescription- he told them who he was and the people would sit there and they’d look him up and he’d say that’s me,” said Brenda.
On Thursday morning, Corporal Eaton passed away from COVID-19 induced pneumonia.
His daughter Brenda says she is thankful he had the opportunity to be nationally recognized for his service when his name was officially etched into history on the Tomb of the Unknown Solider.
Brenda says, “I never really knew what he had done and that it was such a huge deal. So it means a lot to me that he was recognized. I think that it was deserving.”
She says now she will put together a photo album of all Jack’s memories to pass down for generations to come.
“We don’t have a big family but ya know maybe I pass it on to my grandson and he can talk about it one day to his family,” Brenda said.
Jack’s final wish was to interred alongside his wife.
Jack would have been 102 in March.
“I was looking forward to 102 because he said I wonder what we’ll do for my 102nd birthday and I said well Jack we’ll have to wait and see what we can do. But now he’s dancing up in heaven, so that’s okay too.”
Even though he’s not here anymore, Brenda says she knows that Jack hasn’t stopped dancing.
Here are more stories about Jack Eaton’s life:
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