On May 14, 2020, at the age of 78, we lost a truly great man, John Eagleson. John was born in Philadelphia, the first child of Jack and Mary Rose Eagleson.  He grew up in Oreland, PA, with his five sisters and one brother. In his early life, John took a keen interest in work, selling vegetables door-to-door as a boy and later, as an adolescent, helping his father build a family summer home on Lake Wallenpaupack. Upon graduating from Springfield High School in 1959 as an Eagle Scout and Student Council president, he set out on the first of many adventures, hitchhiking through the US with little more than his Scout uniform and a suitcase. 

As a young man, John felt the calling to help create a more just and compassionate world. After studying religion at Providence College, he turned his focus to literature and theology and earned a Master's Degree in Latin American literature at the Universidad de las Americas in Mexico City.  In 1965, John entered the Maryknoll Seminary, where he became engaged with the study of the gospels as a vehicle to combat poverty and advance peace and social justice throughout the world.

John found the love of his life in 1970 when he met Mary Ellen Sipos.  They married in 1971 and settled in a historic home in Yorktown Heights, NY. There they raised four children and welcomed many friends and family to live with them over the years. John worked tirelessly to maintain and improve his house, whether it be by fixing ancient plumbing, spackling cracks in walls, or chopping logs to feed his beloved wood-burning stove.

As he fully embraced his role as a loving husband and father, John continued his work with Maryknoll, being one of the founding editors of Orbis Books, the publishing arm of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers. He was involved with editing and translating many influential texts of liberation theology in the 1970s and 1980s.  He was widely respected in his field for both his wise editorial mind and technical expertise in typesetting. John went on to become the head editor at Meyer-Stone Books. In 1987, John founded his own editorial and typesetting company, Editype, with his wife Mary. They continued this endeavor until 2014, working with numerous religious publications.  He was a role model to many and will be remembered for his wisdom, intellect, humor, kindness, and humility.   

John is survived and dearly missed by his wife, Mary Ellen, his four children, Ian, Mercedes, Joseph, and Rebecca, his six grandchildren, and his five sisters.  John was preceded in death by his father John R. Eagleson, his mother, Mary Rose Eagleson Nuse, and his brother, David Eagleson.

In the last years of his life, John bravely and patiently struggled to live with the effects of Parkinson’s with Lewy Body Dementia.  In this time, he was able to bless his young grandchildren with the kindness and love he has shared throughout his life.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating to the Lewy Body Dementia Association.

https://www.lbda.org/donate

A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date when it is safe for us to gather and celebrate John’s life. We will update this page when we have more information.