Earl Irvin Eastin went to be with his Lord on December 11, 2024, after a long battle with cancer.
Earl is survived by his wife, Kay Pike Eastin to whom he was married for 63 years. They had a wonderful love for each other. They had 3 children Jill Eastin Rutledge (Chuck), Jeffery Earl Eastin (Kelly), and Vicki Mae Cape (Chris). Earl was “Sir” to 8 grandchildren, Catherine Cape Dunn (Clark), Courtney Rutledge, Skyler Eastin, Jesse Cape, Earl Rutledge, Joshua Eastin, James Cape, Emma Eastin Cape. He is also survived by his younger sister, Louise Moses and the following in-laws: Ann Pike, Les Conolly, and Damaris Pike. He had many nieces and nephews whom he adored.
Earl was born in Akron, OH and is a graduate of Akron University. He received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. In 1965 he moved to Huntsville to work for NASA. He helped with the Saturn V and provided engineering and missions operations support for SLS rockets and lunar science missions. In 1970 he began to work for M&S Computing. Later, the company became Intergraph Corporation, and he was one of the Vice President. He worked with Missile Command and the Arsenal. His area of focus was large government contracts. He worked on the MAP1 defense project. He retired in 1986.
Earl had a thirst for knowledge, enjoying music, sports, and history. He was an exceptional storyteller, family historian, and kept a detailed journal. Earl was a world traveler who had circled the globe many times. He was happiest when his family and friends surrounded him skiing, sightseeing, or golfing. He was an accomplished golfer, but his favorite part of golfing was spending meals with his golf friends.
He loved his grandchildren. Attending concerts, sporting events, and planning activities for them was a joy. One of his greatest prides was seeing them perform. He was a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church for over 56 years.
Earl will be celebrated with a memorial service on Saturday, January 4 at Covenant Presbyterian Church on Drake Avenue. Visitation will begin at 11:00, followed by a service at 12:30 and a family burial at Maple Hill Cemetery. Rev. David Kling will be officiating.
