Obituary for Virginia Susan (Fialka) Eaton
Virginia Susan Eaton, age 88, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, passed away Wednesday, December 9, 2020.
Virginia was born the youngest of eleven children to Andrew and Susan (Raychel) Fialka and was raised in Flint, Michigan. During a visit to New York City in the mid-1950s with her brother Robert, Virginia fell in love with the atmosphere and energy of the city and knew she wanted to stay. During their trip, a scouting agent walked up to Virginia in a restaurant to ask if she had ever considered fashion modeling. This serendipitous encounter led her to a career of modeling clothing for French designer Claire Schaffel during the mid-1950s. Virginia lived at the famous Barbizon Hotel in New York City, which has housed such distinguished women residents as: Lauren Bacall, Grace Kelly, Ali MacGraw, Cybill Shepherd and Jaclyn Smith. Virginia did many fashion shows in various settings throughout New York City but was always the most proud of a show at Madison Square Garden on May 11, 1955 when Claire Schaffel told Virginia, that of all the models, Virginia received the loudest applause from the audience. Virginia said she would emanate love to the crowd and that was the secret behind her popularity. Also, during her stay in New York, Virginia was the subject of a newspaper article which described her as a "femme fatale" and said that her beauty was known to stop traffic as she walked the streets of New York City.
Eventually moving back to Michigan to recover from an illness, Virginia decided to remain in Michigan, despite the pleas of designer Schaffel asking Virginia to return to New York. It was soon after these events that Virginia met Edward E. Eaton while taking an art class at the local college in the fall of 1958. The two married after only a three month courtship and briefly settled in Flint with their sons, Gregory and Eric. In 1962, the Eaton family moved to Ann Arbor where they would remain. In 1967 the couple unfortunately divorced leaving Virginia a single-mother with little working experience outside her brief career as a model. In order to support herself and her two sons, Virginia quickly trained to become a secretary where she eventually obtained a position at The University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research working for many interesting people including Dr. Katona, who was a pioneer in studying consumer economics. Virginia's job allowed her to provide her family with a loving and warm home. Virginia's hard work and commitment to her children as a single mother from 1967 to 1973 was an outstanding achievement much admired by her sons.
During her time working for the ISR, Virginia met mathematician Frank Harary and the two married in 1973. During the time they were married, a sabbatical at the University of Oxford relocated the family to England. While living in the UK, Virginia enjoyed traveling throughout Europe and was fond of experiences she had in visiting locations such as Scotland, Paris, and in particular her family's homeland of Czechoslovakia. While in England Virginia played host to Prime Minister Harold Wilson's son, Robin Wilson. Virginia also spent an afternoon talking with world famous philosopher Isaiah Berlin. She visited Nobel Prize winner Paul Dirac in Denmark and later hosted one of the era's leading mathematicians Paul Erdos when the family returned to Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Virginia will be remembered as a loving neighbor who enjoyed maintaining a perfect lawn and a freshly swept sidewalk. Her greatest joy always came from her sons, Gregory and Eric, who she proudly supported and encouraged. She repeatedly told people her two son's brought her the most happiness in life. In later years, her son Eric was her caregiver which allowed him to return to his mother the many years of care and commitment she had extended to her children and the two developed a special loving bond. Virginia never took for granted the love and care people extended to her. She loved to listen to Perry Como and Frank Sinatra. She loved movies with Cary Grant.
She was predeceased by her parents, Andrew and Susan Fialka, and her ten siblings.
Virginia will be deeply missed by her sons, Gregory Eaton of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Eric Eaton of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Virginia was born the youngest of eleven children to Andrew and Susan (Raychel) Fialka and was raised in Flint, Michigan. During a visit to New York City in the mid-1950s with her brother Robert, Virginia fell in love with the atmosphere and energy of the city and knew she wanted to stay. During their trip, a scouting agent walked up to Virginia in a restaurant to ask if she had ever considered fashion modeling. This serendipitous encounter led her to a career of modeling clothing for French designer Claire Schaffel during the mid-1950s. Virginia lived at the famous Barbizon Hotel in New York City, which has housed such distinguished women residents as: Lauren Bacall, Grace Kelly, Ali MacGraw, Cybill Shepherd and Jaclyn Smith. Virginia did many fashion shows in various settings throughout New York City but was always the most proud of a show at Madison Square Garden on May 11, 1955 when Claire Schaffel told Virginia, that of all the models, Virginia received the loudest applause from the audience. Virginia said she would emanate love to the crowd and that was the secret behind her popularity. Also, during her stay in New York, Virginia was the subject of a newspaper article which described her as a "femme fatale" and said that her beauty was known to stop traffic as she walked the streets of New York City.
Eventually moving back to Michigan to recover from an illness, Virginia decided to remain in Michigan, despite the pleas of designer Schaffel asking Virginia to return to New York. It was soon after these events that Virginia met Edward E. Eaton while taking an art class at the local college in the fall of 1958. The two married after only a three month courtship and briefly settled in Flint with their sons, Gregory and Eric. In 1962, the Eaton family moved to Ann Arbor where they would remain. In 1967 the couple unfortunately divorced leaving Virginia a single-mother with little working experience outside her brief career as a model. In order to support herself and her two sons, Virginia quickly trained to become a secretary where she eventually obtained a position at The University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research working for many interesting people including Dr. Katona, who was a pioneer in studying consumer economics. Virginia's job allowed her to provide her family with a loving and warm home. Virginia's hard work and commitment to her children as a single mother from 1967 to 1973 was an outstanding achievement much admired by her sons.
During her time working for the ISR, Virginia met mathematician Frank Harary and the two married in 1973. During the time they were married, a sabbatical at the University of Oxford relocated the family to England. While living in the UK, Virginia enjoyed traveling throughout Europe and was fond of experiences she had in visiting locations such as Scotland, Paris, and in particular her family's homeland of Czechoslovakia. While in England Virginia played host to Prime Minister Harold Wilson's son, Robin Wilson. Virginia also spent an afternoon talking with world famous philosopher Isaiah Berlin. She visited Nobel Prize winner Paul Dirac in Denmark and later hosted one of the era's leading mathematicians Paul Erdos when the family returned to Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Virginia will be remembered as a loving neighbor who enjoyed maintaining a perfect lawn and a freshly swept sidewalk. Her greatest joy always came from her sons, Gregory and Eric, who she proudly supported and encouraged. She repeatedly told people her two son's brought her the most happiness in life. In later years, her son Eric was her caregiver which allowed him to return to his mother the many years of care and commitment she had extended to her children and the two developed a special loving bond. Virginia never took for granted the love and care people extended to her. She loved to listen to Perry Como and Frank Sinatra. She loved movies with Cary Grant.
She was predeceased by her parents, Andrew and Susan Fialka, and her ten siblings.
Virginia will be deeply missed by her sons, Gregory Eaton of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Eric Eaton of Ann Arbor, Michigan.