Walter Eagan, longtime county schools chief, dies at 94

Walter Eagan, who led the Sonoma County Office of Education during a formative two decades for the local public school system, playing a central role in the consolidation of dozens of small, rural school districts, has died. He was 94.

Eagan was the county superintendent from 1968 to 1986, a period during which the county’s school population doubled. He assisted in the creation of 24 new schools and helped shape the 40 school districts that exist today.

At the same time, he worked tirelessly to help under- served students, including those being held at juvenile hall.

“He was a champion for all children and a firm believer in the promise of education and its importance in a democratic society,” said his daughter, Gail Eagan, a retired teacher and administrator.

Eagan died Monday at a care facility in Santa Rosa. His daughter said the cause of death stemmed from a number of health problems.

His 18 years at the helm of the county office is the longest tenure in the nearly half-century since he took the job, said Steve Herrington, the current county superintendent.

Among other things, he said Eagan was responsible for moving the office from its former location at the county administration center to its location on Skylane Boul-evard.

Also, he credited Eagan with changing the name of the agency from the Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools to the Sonoma County Office of Education, which Herrington said better reflects the services provided.

Herrington said the building that now houses the Windsor Town Hall once was named after Eagan in honor of his many contributions.

“He saw the greatest transformation of schools in this county,” Herrington said.

Eagan was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1920, but his family quickly moved to the ranch in Windsor that had been in his mother’s family since the late 1800s.

He graduated from Healdsburg High School in 1939 and went to Santa Rosa Junior College before enlisting in the Navy, where he served stateside as a pharmacist during World War II.

He enrolled in UC Berkeley after the war, initially to study medicine, but instead focused on teaching, finishing with a doctorate in education.

After graduating, he taught seventh and eighth grades in Healdsburg and in 1950 became the top administrator in the Windsor school district. He became assistant superintendent of the Sonoma County Office of Education six years later and was appointed to the top job when the superintendent at the time died in the middle of his term.

Eagan was voted into office at the next election and was re-elected four times, his daughter said.

“He oversaw the educational system at a time when it was really in flux,” Gail Eagan said. “Many one-school districts were floundering and needed consolidation. He helped with that.”

He retired once but came back as interim superintendent when Superintendent Dick Bacon died.

Eagan lived on the family’s Jensen Lane ranch almost his entire life. He raised three children there and later planted 18 acres in grapes.

His daughter said he enjoyed mingling with other vintners and was a member of the grape growers’ association.

He also was a 33rd degree Mason and belonged to the Sotoyome Lodge in Healdsburg. He served two terms on the civil grand jury and was chairman of a March of Dimes campaign.

His former wife, Beverly Eagan, died in 2007.

Walter Eagan’s health declined in recent months and he was transferred to a board and care facility in Santa Rosa, his daughter said.

However, he continued being active, attending a grape growers’ barbecue a few weeks ago and talking about scheduling a dental appointment, she said.

“He was in the game pretty much right up to the end,” his daughter said.

In addition to his daughter, Eagan is survived by sons Gary of Los Gatos and Terry of Santa Rosa; five grandchildren; and his longtime girlfriend, Betty Gibbel.

Services for Eagan are 11 a.m. Aug. 22 at the Scottish Rite Center in Santa Rosa.

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter ?@ppayne.