William "Bill" Vipond Eaton

William “Bill” Vipond Eaton, 84, of Centreville, MD, passed away at Compass Hospice House on February 12, 2025 – two days shy of his 85th birthday. Bill was born in Grosse Ile, MI, on February 14, 1940, the son of John Littell Eaton, Sr. and Marie Ruth (Pooley) Eaton. Bill attended high school in Plymouth Meeting, PA, followed by a Bachelor of Science from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University. He married the love of his life, Phyllis, on March 26, 1966. Bill’s education and passion for the food industry led him to a life-long career in Food Service Design with Cini-Little International, as a Partner. He was actively involved with various organizations including the Cornell Hotel Society, the Foodservice Consultants Society International, and local historic and conservation organizations. In his 45 years at Cini-Little, Bill was involved in a wide array of foodservice projects worldwide. His most notable projects include the original “Windows on the World” on the top floor of the World Trade Center, multiple cafes within the Smithsonian Institution, including the Mitsitam Café at the National Museum of the American Indian, 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). When his daughters were younger, he bought a globe so that they could trace his travels to exotic locations like Trinidad and Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Cairo. At Cornell, he was active for many years with Cornell Alumni Affairs and Development, the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network in the Baltimore-Washington area, the Cornell Council’s Sustainable Development and Environmental Committee and the Cornell Hotel Society, which he was Global President of in 1993. In 2001, he was awarded the Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award, and in 2007, elected to the Cornell Board of Trustees. Bill also served as a trustee and life member of the Cornell University Council. He was elected President of Food Service Society International for their inaugural year and held leadership roles with the Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management. His expertise extended to judging the National Restaurant Association’s Kitchen Innovation Awards for many years. In 2016, Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Magazine awarded him their Hall of Fame Award. The honor that he held most dear was being part of the inaugural class of the “Hotelie Hall of Fame”, established by the Cornell Hotel School in 2022. Closer to home, he was active with Woods Church, multiple youth organizations, the Cape Arthur Community Association, as well as “the host with the most” (with Phyllis’ help, of course) for multiple parties a year, both at his home in Severna Park and the farm in Centreville. Bill retired in 2016, and he and Phyllis moved to Walnut Grove Farm in Centreville, MD. They enjoyed fixing the historic farmhouse, gardening and daily walks to the pier for sunset. To keep themselves from the boredom of retirement, they continued to host alumni crab feasts for both Cornell and Marshall University (Phyllis’ alma mater), at times welcoming over 600 people to the farm for crabs, beer, an assortment of other foods and tours of the property. Bill is survived by his wife of almost 59 years, Phyllis Jean (Wright) Eaton; four daughters, Jacqueline (Kevin Ball), Caryl (Hugo Cardenas), Pamela (Heath Berlin) and Paula (Gary Rife, Sr.); 11 grandchildren and their families, including nine great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren, as well as his brother, John Littell Eaton, Jr. (Suzanne), and sister Carolyn Rakinic, niece Deborah (Doug Hannum) and nephew John Littell Eaton, III (Mary), four grand-nieces, two grand-nephews, and their families. He is also survived by Phyllis’s nephew, John Wright (Camille) and family. He is predeceased by his father and mother, nephew James Eaton (surviving wife, Gale), and niece Alice Marie Wright. 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 the 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); or the Foodservice Consultant Society International’s Education Foundation which supports continuing education for new consultants (fcsief.org). Photo by mk Photography

William "Bill" Vipond Eaton

February 14, 1940 - February 12, 2025