Obituary of Carla Wright Eaton

Carla Williams (Wright) Eaton, 84, formerly of Beverly Farms, Massachusetts and a resident of Fryeburg and Southport, Maine, died Saturday, July 4 at St. Andrew’s Village, Boothbay Harbor, Maine where she had lived for over a year in Safe Havens, the memory care wing making the staff and other residents laugh. She was born on April 11, 1936 in Providence, Rhode Island, the daughter of Carlos and Virginia (Williams) Wright of Providence, Rhode Island and a 10th generation direct descendant of Roger Williams, the founder of the state of Rhode Island. Predeceased by her husband Albert Sauveur Eaton, Sr. and her brother Allen Greeley Wright of San Anselmo, California. She is survived by daughters Deborah Williams Eaton of Edgecomb, Maine, Johanna Eaton Rioux and husband Nicholas of Wiscasset, Maine, her son Albert S. Eaton, Jr. and wife Betsy of Center Conway, New Hampshire and her grandchildren Heather and Andrew Malone, Victoria, Tyler, William and Isabell Eaton. Carla’s family will be forever grateful to her dearest of caregivers who over the years became part of the family, Deborah Parker, Deanna Parker, Penny Williams, Liz Bailey and Jessica Tukey along with all the kind and loving staff at St. Andrews. Carla was raised in Providence where she attended Lincoln School, a private all-female Quaker school, graduating in 1953. She then attended and completed her degree at Boston’s Chamberlain School of Retail Fashion. After a summer abroad Carla moved to Beacon Hill in Boston, Massachusetts and began her career. Here she met Albert for the first time when he picked her up to be her date at a mutual friend’s wedding. The story goes that on the drive to the wedding he told her that his parents owned a house on Southport, Maine, an area she loved having worked summers at the Spruce Point Inn. She always claimed that she looked at him and asked, “Will you marry me?” They married six months later, moved to the North Shore of Massachusetts and began their family. In 1970 they moved to Fryeburg, Maine. Her passions were varied as were her community commitments. A lover of traveling, reading, crossword puzzles, needlework and ornithology, she was most well-known for her passion of knitting for which she won numerous awards and received national recognition. An avid knitter starting at the young age of five, Carla knit socks for the Red Cross which were sent overseas to the soldiers fighting in WWII. A familiar sight throughout her life was Carla with knitting needles clicking away at a speed that astounded many. A familiar phrase heard many times by her children and grandchildren when one of them needed something from her was, “Wait until I finish this row.” She was easily recognized by her license plate which read YARN. She was a member of the Embroiderer’s Guild of America and The Knitting Guild of America, of which she started a Maine chapter. Additionally, as a member of the Fryeburg Historical Society, she worked along-side her husband as co-curator of the Fryeburg Fair Farm Museum. She was also active at Christ Church Episcopal in North Conway, New Hampshire where for many years she loved organizing church suppers and silver teas. After graduating from Lincoln School, Carla worked for many years as class scribe, staying in touch with classmates writing for the school newsletter and helped to organize many class reunions. In 2004 she was awarded the Lincoln School distinguished Alumnae Award. Carla was loved by all for her endearing and devilish sense of humor throughout her life. With a sparkle in her eye and a smirk when saying goodbye to someone she would always say, “Don’t behave!” A committal service will be held at a later date at Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, Rhode Island.