Edward Hayden "Ted" Eaton, 68, of Kensington, NH, died in his home, with his wife, son and brother by his side, on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Born in Concord, Massachusetts on July 17, 1951, Ted was the son of the late John Marshall Eaton, Jr. and Marie Gooding Eaton, both of Concord. Ted graduated from Fenn School in Concord (1965), Belmont Hill School in Belmont, Massachusetts (1970) and the University of Denver (1977). Ted loved the outdoors and was an avid downhill and cross-country skier, fearless rock and ice climber, and hard-core hiker, even in winter. It was no surprise that his first job out of college was as a sales associate at Eastern Mountain Sports in its Commonwealth Avenue store in Boston. He also loved sports, playing hockey with an over-30 group until he was almost 60; and like any true New Englander, he rejoiced in all the championships won by Boston teams. Perhaps, however, he felt a touch of sadness when the Red Sox ended their 86-year drought in 2004, for in 1986, after the heartbreaking loss to the Mets, he said, "But at least the quest lives on." Ted also loved to work with his hands, first turning to car repair so he could keep his beloved 1963 white Volkswagen on the road for years beyond its natural life. He would be an auto mechanic for the rest of his days, giving expert care to all the family cars, especially his cherished BMWs. Ted was also a skilled carpenter and devoted most of his adult life to that vocation. From his earliest days, Ted summered at the family home of his grandparents, Frederic and Julia Gooding, in Rye Beach, New Hampshire, where he swam at the Beach Club, golfed at Abenaqui, lobstered aboard Dave Boies's Zero Nine, and made an annual pilgrimage to the tip of Rye Ledge at low tide. He took up surfing well into his forties. Ted's life-long attraction to the ocean and the beach played a role in his move to Kensington, New Hampshire. In 1988, Ted met the love of his life, Cindy Parrott, while working on a carpentry job in Concord. Cindy grew up in Tennessee and Alabama. Her southern charm complemented Ted's rough New England edges. A year later, Ted and Cindy were married. They spent over 30 happy years together. Although Ted moved away from Concord in 1998, he kept a special spot in his heart for his hometown. He visited his mother on Estabrook Road regularly until her passing in 2012. Ted was an Associate Member of the Concord Independent Battery and came back to town most every Patriot's Day and attended the storied Battery luncheon. He maintained the many friendships that he forged in Concord for the rest of his life. And he never passed up a chance to get a pepperoni pizza or a steak and cheese at his favorite New London Style Pizza, a Concord institution. Ted adored music, whether it be singing in the Belmont Hill Glee Club or attending the Woodstock Music Festival in the summer of 1969. While his favorites were the Beach Boys and the Grateful Dead, he never missed a chance to go to a rock or blues concert, whether it be the Who or the Stones, NRBQ or Buddy Guy. Over the past six years, he looked forward to his weekly guitar lessons. Ted shared his love for music with anyone who came within his orbit, especially his son, Tim, who has become a skilled guitarist himself. Ted leaves his wife, Cindy, and his son, Timothy Hayden Eaton, both of Kensington, New Hampshire; his brother, Robert Gooding Eaton and his wife, Betty L. Anderson, of Rye, New Hampshire; and six nieces and nephews. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 8th, at Christ Church, 43 Pine St., Exeter, NH, at 11:00 a.m. Burial following the service (weather permitting) will be in Little River Cemetery at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Woodland Road in North Hampton, NH. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Ted's memory may be made to The Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215. Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, MA.