Catherine Eaton Scholarship

She was always well groomed, beautifully coifed, poised for action . . . and restricted to her wheelchair. However, no one was ever allowed to express pity for Catherine “Bette” Eaton. She was as intelligent and competent as anyone to accomplish any given task. That “can-do” attitude had been instilled in her by her parents, and she carried it with her through all her 80 years.

As a child, Bette had suffered rheumatic fever and acute juvenile rheumatoid arthritis that contorted her limbs and put her in a wheelchair shortly after her ninth birthday. She began elementary school in San Mateo, but her health forced her to stay home with tutors who provided her with a solid basic education. By the time she entered high school, the family had moved to the East Coast, where she attended a Baltimore preparatory school. At a private college in New York State she majored in business economics and business administration with an emphasis in psychology. Thus, in spite of her limitations, Bette received the best possible education, thanks to the care and attention of her parents.

Although she had the academic credentials and personal drive to succeed, Bette found it difficult to convince potential employers to hire her. She took advantage of every opportunity to add to her resume, such as taking courses at the University of California Berkeley. It was there that she met her future husband, John Eaton. John persuaded her to join him in Kern County where he was chief of the Bureau of Vital Statistics. That move spawned the creation of their own successful tax preparation business, a venture that Bette retained even after John’s death, adding notary services to her product offerings.

Being independent was important to Bette. Unfortunately she was forced to rely on outside help for her personal needs, which sometimes led to being taken advantage of. As an active member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Bakersfield, Bette tried to forgive such injustices.

Well before her death she put her estate plan in place. It includes a provision for the Catherine Eaton Scholarship. She wanted her own life experiences to be part of the scholarship design, and she wanted to make it possible for those with severe physical handicaps (excluding those with hearing loss or visual impairments) to pursue their higher education goals. In spite of a lifetime spent in a wheelchair, she knew that she had been blessed by parents who helped her fulfill her potential as a well-educated, contributing member of society. And now she wanted to help do the same for others.