Danny Joseph Eason Sr.

Danny Joseph Eason, 70, of Lake Charles passed away on Thursday, November 11, 2021, in a local hospital.

Dan was born on August 24, 1951, in New Orleans, and lived in Lake Charles most of his life. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, friend and child of God. His faith and his family were the things he cherished most.

Dan was a 1969 graduate of LaGrange High School, where he played football and was known as Big Red by his teammates. He furthered his education at McNeese State University, receiving a bachelor's degree in pre-law and a master's degree in psychology. While at McNeese, he was a member and vice president of Phi Kappa Theta. He was a dedicated supporter of the McNeese Alumni Association, and served as its president.

In kindergarten at Immaculate Conception School, Dan was smitten with a cute girl named Beth Black. Years later, they started dating in college, and in 1975, Dan and Beth were married. They had three children—Anna, Danny Jr., and Kathleen—who provided them with eight grandchildren.

After college, Dan started working at Metropolitan Life. He then served as district executive of the Boy Scouts of America for six years. He mentored many young men as scoutmaster of the Boy Scout troops at Our Lady of Good Counsel and Our Lady Queen of Heaven, and received Scouting's Silver Beaver Award for his outstanding service to youth. He continued mentoring young men as Assistant Dean of Student Services at McNeese for three years.

Dan was a highly respected banker in Lake Charles for nearly 40 years. He began his banking career at Lakeside National Bank and continued at JD Bank, working primarily in commercial lending, and retiring in 2017 as the bank's Lake Charles market president. He continued as a consultant for the bank until 2020.

He was a member of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church, where he belonged to the Knights of Columbus.

Dan had a philanthropic heart; he supported United Way, Habitat for Humanity, Serra Club, the Ulster Project, Ducks Unlimited and other community causes. As a banker, he helped many small-business owners in the community with loans, guidance and encouragement. He taught business classes as an adjunct lecturer in the College of Business at McNeese for many years.

Dan was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting and fishing. He loved the peace of a quiet morning in the deer stand or the duck blind, and he spent much of his free time in the woods or on the water. He loved cooking for others, and was the head chef at many family gatherings.

Christmas was Dan's favorite holiday, where he turned into a big softie sharing the magic of Christmas with the children and grandchildren in his life. He didn't say much, but when he did it was always wise, direct, and from deep love. (And there was usually a pretty good story behind the wisdom he acquired.)

Those left to cherish Dan's memory are his loving wife of 46 years, Elizabeth “Beth” Black Eason of Lake Charles; children, Anna St. Romain (David) of Prairieville, Danny Eason, Jr. (Jennifer) of Poway, CA, and Kathleen “Kat” Billings (Brett) of Lake Charles; siblings, Mary Ellen O’Carroll (Peter), Michael Eason (Mary Kaye), and Patrick Eason (Roxane), all of Lake Charles; and eight grandchildren, Cooper and Elise Billings; Victoria, Calvin, and Andrew Eason; and Gavin, Bailey, and Briley St. Romain.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Carolyn Bosworth Eason and Calvin Eason, Jr.

Visitation will be at University Baptist Church on Wednesday, November 17, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., with a rosary at 6:00 p.m. led by the Knights of Columbus. Visitation will resume at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church on Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until the start of the funeral service.

A funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 18, at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church. Monsignor Jace Eskind will officiate. Burial will follow in Consolata Cemetery under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home.

Pallbearers are Mike and Pat Eason, Jim and Mart Black, Peter O'Carroll, Larry Martin, Cooper Billings and Mike Guinn. Honorary pallbearers are Paul Black, Gordon Vest, Pete Snatic, Richard Breaux, Steve Polito, and Gary Scroggs. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the McNeese Foundation First Choice, mcneesefoundation.mcneese.edu or to Catholic Charities, catholiccharitiesusa.org.