Eldon "Toby" Eason

Eldon “Toby” Ray Eason, 79 years old, of Arlington, Texas was taken home to be with the Lord on November 1, 2025.

Toby was born November 8, 1945, in Lamesa, Texas to Ray and Mary Lou Ella Gantt Eason. He was raised during his early years on the farm near O’Donnell, Texas, moving to Lamesa during the middle of his third-grade year where he would graduate from Lamesa High School in 1964. He attended San Angelo State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in Business, a master’s degree in Industrial Management at University of Dallas, and a Certified Safety Profession (CSP) designation during his career at General Motors. He would meet his future wife, Lena, during a summer while working in Dallas.

Toby had joined the U.S. Navy Reserves while in San Angelo. It came with a 12-month active reserve and a 2-year active-duty obligation. He re-established contact with Lena and drove the 520-mile round trip from San Angelo to Dallas three weekends in a row for a date, before deciding to move to Dallas. He would marry Lena Mae McDougal on November 11, 1967. Two months later he was active, assigned a ship, and made two deployments to Vietnam before returning home in 1969. He completed his bachelor’s degree in San Angelo and returned to the Metroplex to begin his career at General Motors.

During his 37 years, less 9 weeks, his career at General Motors expanded from hourly, Maintenance Dispatcher, Labor Relations Reprehensive to Supervisor – Safety. He always said that the Lord trained him for the first 18 years to prepare him to finish his last 19 years as Safety Supervisor, a job he truly loved. He retired November 1, 2008.

He began teaching Sunday School when finishing college in San Angelo at the age of 25. He continued to teach at the time of his passing. His hobbies were genealogy and Bible Study, with a more serious dedication to Bible Study. Lena and Toby loved to travel with Lena’s sister, Dorothy and brother-in-law, Jim, going on many adventurous journeys together between 1999 to 2020.

Toby was proceeded in death by his parents, Ray and Mary Lou Eason.

He is lovingly survived by his devoted wife of 57 years, Lena Mae McDougal Eason; his children, Wyndale Eason and wife Cassandra, and Cylena Eason; seven cherished grandchildren - Trenady, Zachary, Alec, Coltyn, Lauryn, Natalie, and Nathan; and four beloved great-grandchildren - Hunter, Aurora, Charlotte, and Carter. He also leaves behind his brother, Mike Eason, and wife Cindy, along with a host of extended family and dear friends who will miss him deeply.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to some of his favorite charities:

1. Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) - https://heroes.vfw.org/page/21776/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=vfwhomepage&utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=button
2. National Rifle Association - https://donate.nra.org/Donate
3. Judicial Watch - https://www.judicialwatch.org/donate/make-a-contribution-2/