A GREIVING family have been flooded with tributes for their father who’s “hard work and devotion touched the lives of thousands”.

Fred Eaton, of Overton Drive, Wanstead, died age 94 on April 28 at King George Hospital in Goodmayes after a short illness.

Mr Eaton was born in West Ham in 1922 and worked for a ship repair company in the Docklands for most of his working life.

Starting out as an invoice clerk at just 18, Mr Eaton climbed through the ranks at the London Graving Dock, but had escape to a safe house in Loughton during the Blitz.

After the war he was made company director and secretary and was “the last man standing” when shipping took a downturn and the dock was closed for good in 1984.

When he retired Mr Eaton stayed true to his roots and worked as a volunteer at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.

Soon afterwards he was asked to be a governor at the nearby George Green School as a well-respected member of the community and a representative of the Shipwrights Livery Company.

As vice chairman and Treasurer Mr Eaton worked tirelessly to secure bursaries, extra support, and equipment for the school’s disadvantaged children, sending them on school trips and broadening their horizons.

The school’s chairman of trustees Robert Kyriakides said: “None of that would’ve happened without the devotion, hard work and foresight of Fred Eaton and I am very grateful to have known him.

“I’m sure there are thousands of people who have passed through George Green School, and many thousands yet to come, whose lives have been and will continue to be improved by the work Fred did.”

One of Mr Eaton’s fellow governors Peter Green said “no one could’ve given more to the school than he did”.

His son David added: “We’ve been so touched by all the letters we’ve received from people since he died that we had no idea he’d helped.

“He really changed a lot of people’s lives.”

He was also a treasurer of the Felsted School Mission, which supports The Ascension Church in the Docklands, and helped see the “rundown church turn into a vibrant community centre”.

A Freeman of the City of London and a keen Freemason, Mr Eaton “adored” his two children and four grandchildren and would never miss a birthday or family event.

He married his wife Edna of 64 years at St Mary’s Church in Wanstead, the same place family and friends said goodbye to him at his funeral on May 12.

His daughter Diane said: “I know no one can go on forever, but we miss him dreadfully.

“I just wish we could relive all the great memories we had together.

“But he’s left a priceless legacy for me, my brother, and his grandchildren.

“He was a wonderful role model, always thinking of other people, and if I can be half the person he was, I’ll be doing alright.”

Mr Eaton’s family have asked for donations to be given to the Felsted School Mission in his memory instead of flowers.