Eileen Baston, age 98, of Madison, New Jersey passed away on February 15, 2026.

Eileen was born on September 10, 1927 to Clarence and Rilla (McDowell) Daniel. She was raised near Centerville, KS where she met her future husband, Lavern, while attending a one-room schoolhouse.

When she was older, her family moved to Kansas City, MO where she attended Manuel High School. After high school, Eileen accidentally reunited with Lavern shortly after his discharge from the Navy. They soon fell in love and were married on May 11, 1946. 

Eileen and Lavern eventually moved to Bethel, KS where they raised their two daughters, Marsha and Diane. Eileen worked for Panhandle Eastern in the business office until the needs of her children were greater than her desire to work outside the home. She took it upon herself to learn machine quilting and became self-employed so she could be a stay-at-home mother. Early in her machine quilting career, Eileen had a pickup and delivery service for her customers, quilt tops to finished quilts. As the years went by, her machine quilting talent garnered the attention of interior design shops who commissioned her to do custom quilted bedspreads for Designer Showcase Houses, of which she was most proud. During that time, Lavern was always there by her side supporting her machine quilting business.

In retirement, Eileen and Lavern lived in Overland Park, KS, during which time they shared a passion for flower gardening, traveled often across the U.S., cruised the Caribbean and visited Hawaii for their wedding anniversaries. Most importantly, Eileen always looked forward to and enjoyed being with her family members for outings, special occasions and holidays.

In 2010, Eileen moved to Madison, NJ to be near her daughter, Diane, and she lived out her remaining years there. While in New Jersey, she enjoyed traveling to New York City, visiting Cape Cod and the Jersey Shore and spending time with Diane’s family.

Towards the end of her life, Eileen was blessed with being cared for by many Home Health Aides from all over the world; having had cultural ties to Jamaica, Haiti, Costa Rica, Kenya, Bangladesh. Guyana, Nigeria, just to name a few. However, the one aide who was with her the longest, the one most near and dear to her heart, was her girlfriend, Claudie, from St. Martin.

Thank you from the family to all the HHAs who brought Eileen a comforting spirituality that helped her find her way home.

Eileen was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Lavern; sisters Mary Ellen Torrey and Rosalee Perkins; brothers Charles Daniel and Raymond Daniel. Eileen is survived by daughters Marsha (Bill) Beggs, Overland Park, KS and Diane (KW) Janne, Madison, NJ; granddaughters, Kalie (Chris) Crowley, Madison, NJ; Kaitlin (Ken) Grau, State College, PA; Haley (Jason) Tomlinson, Olathe, KS and grandson Drew Beggs, Overland Park, KS.

Visitation will be held at 9:30 a.m. with Funeral Services following at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, February 23, at the Porter Funeral Home, 8535 Monrovia Lenexa, KS. Burial in Resurrection Cemetery Mausoleum, 83rd and Quivira Road, Lenexa, KS.

In lieu of flowers, please make online gifts, in memory of Eileen, to the Dementia Society of America https://www.dementiasociety.org/donate