Deacon Eugene Eastham dies Oct. 18 at age 85

COLORADO SPRINGS. Deacon Eugene Eastham died Oct. 18 at his home in Colorado Springs. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Oct. 26 at Our Lady of the Pines Parish. Burial followed Oct. 29  at Pikes Peak National Cemetery.

Deacon Eastham was born Feb. 28, 1939, in Fairfield Township, Minnesota. He joined the U.S. Navy in 1957 and was discharged from active service in 1961. He and his wife Joyce were married April 8, 1961. The couple had two daughters, Michelle and Julie.

After the family settled in Peyton, Deacon Eastham worked as a plumber and became a plumbing inspector fo the Colorado Springs Regional Building Department. He retired as Chief Plumbing Inspector in 1993.

In the mid-1970s, a fellow parishioner at St. Michael Parish in Calham invited him to an informational meeting about the permanent diaconate formation program. He applied to the program and received instruction at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver. He was ordained a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Denver on April 9, 1977.

After ordination, he served at St.Michael Parish before being assigned to Our Lady of the Pines Parish. He also served as a chaplain for the Colorado Springs Police Department for 28 years.

In his spare time, Deacon Eastham enjoyed fishing, hunting and woodcarving. He also served on the Peyton School Board and taught hunters’ safety classes.

He is survived by his wife Joyce; two daughters, Michelle Eastham and Julie Knier (John); grandchildren Catherine Knier (Saurabh), Robert Knier, Scott Knier and Hailey Burkhart; great-grandchildren Shanaya and Isaac; and brothers Jim (Dalene), Larry (Barbara) and Gary (Julie).

Donations are requested to Catholic Relief Services or the Office of Vocations for the Diocese of Colorado Springs (appeal.diocs.org/vocations).