Louis F. Eaton Jr. was born on December 20, 1918, in Annapolis, Md. to Margaret and Louis Eaton, and he died on May 26, 2010 in Cohasset, Massachusetts. His father was teaching electrical engineering at the Naval Academy at the time, and when World War I came to an end, the family of three moved back to Brockton Mass.
In the ensuing years, five other children arrived and while the Eaton family grew, as first-born, Lou led the way, setting a high standard. He started reading at an early age, and it quickly became apparent that he was extraordinarily bright. He skipped grades and after finishing at Brockton High in 1935, he took a post-grad year at Deerfield Academy before entering Amherst College, from which he graduated with a double major in history and economics, Phi Beta Kappa, in 1940. He loved Amherst and was a leader, participating fully in academics, athletics, and politics as a member of Chi Phi, Debating Council, Political Union, Student Council, and playing sportsa