William V. “Bill” Eaton ‘61
The Cornell Hotel Society mourns the passing of Bill Eaton ’61. Bill was a hospitality industry icon, dedicated Hotelie, and loving friend and family member. He passed on February 12, 2025 at Compass Hospice, two days shy of his 85th birthday.
A Witness to the Resurrection will be held at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park, Maryland, on March 8, 2025, at 2:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:
- Eaton Family Scholarship at the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration (giving.cornell.edu, under “other” and note name, or call 800-279-3099)
- Compass Hospice House in Centreville, MD (compassregionalhospice.org
- The Foodservice Consultant Society International’s Education Foundation which supports continuing education for new consultants (fcsief.org).
For those who want to attend but can’t be there in person, our church has a live stream at https://youtube.com/@woodschurch?feature=shared.
Courtesy of Jeane Sander ’66, here are some highlights of Bill’s devotion to Cornell:
- Served as a Cornell Alumni Elected Trustee at Cornell.
- Served as Global President of the Cornell Hotel Society in 1993.
- Received the Frank Rhodes Award for Exemplary Alumni Service in 2001.
- He and his wife Phyllis hosted the CHS-DC chapter annual picnic at their home in Severna Park for about 30 years
- He and Phyllis hosted the Cornell Mid-Atlantic Crab Feast at their farm in Centerville. MD for approximately ten years (Organized by the Cornell Club of Maryland).
- Was a member of the inaugural class of the Hotelie Hall of Fame in 2022.
Below are a few highlights from his professional career:
- Joined Cini-Little in 1971, and spent the next 45 years helping transform the company from a small Bethesda startup into a global leader in foodservice consulting.
- Managed the design of the foodservice operations at “Windows on the World” on the top floor of the World Trade Center, multiple cafes within the Smithsonian Institution, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Universal Studios (the parks in Orlando and Los Angeles), The Cornell Hotel School, and the White House (twice).
- Developed the FCSI Educational Foundation in 1995.
- Inducted to the FE&S (Foodservice Equipment & Supplies) Hall of Fame in 2016.
To capture all of Bill’s extensive personal and professional accomplishments, we recommend you visit the following websites:
The following link leads to Bill’s Hotelie Hall of Fame biography.
Below are links to obituaries memorializing Bill’s personal and professional accomplishments.
- William "Bill" Vipond Eaton Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information
- Remembering William V. "Bill" Eaton | Cini-Little International, Inc.
- https://www.fcsi.org/foodservice-consultant/worldwide/in-memoriam-william-v-eaton-ffcsi-pp/
A Witness to the Resurrection will be held at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park, Maryland, on March 8, 2025, at 2:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:
- Eaton Family Scholarship at the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration (giving.cornell.edu, under “other” and note name, or call 800-279-3099)
- Compass Hospice House in Centreville, MD (compassregionalhospice.org
- The Foodservice Consultant Society International’s Education Foundation which supports continuing education for new consultants (fcsief.org).