Clair "Skip" EASON was born on April 15, 1922 in Ringgold County, Iowa, to Paul and Beth EASON. Paul was a farmer and a country school director and Beth was a homemaker and country school teacher.

Clair grew up on the farm and attended Mount Ayr High School here he was a standout left-handed pitcher on the baseball team. He graduated in 1950, continuing to play ball during the summers with the Mount Ayr Town Team. He honed his skills under the tutelage of "Lefty" GEIST and several other seasoned members of the team.

Clair would later say, "Those older men were like second fathers to me."

After attending college at Maryville, Missouri for a year, Clair transferred to Simpson College located in Indianola, Iowa. Here, he participated and lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. During his sophomore year, Clair married Donna HIGHTSHOE, his best friend, he said. Clair graduated in 1954 with a degree in education.

Immediately after graduation, Clair was drafted in the U.S. Army. He was stationed at Fairbanks, Alaska.

After his discharge, Clair began a 38-year career in education, accepting a position to teach and coach both basketball and baseball at Diagonal. During the last three of the eight years Clair was with Diagonal School, he was the superintendent of schools.

In 1964, Clair accepted a position as the superintendent with the Waukee School District, located approximately 10 miles west of Des Moines. Through his leadership, the school grew to 1,332 students when he retired in 1994. Clair and Donna had three children and enjoy their grandchildren.

SOURCE: FETTY, Jack. Rings of Gold Pp. 22-25. Palindrome Pub. Co. Iowa. 2007.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2010