[1] He moved to Sioux City, Iowa, where he opened a chain of supermarkets in 1930, after divesting from his holdings in Fremont, Nebraska.
[1] Van Eaton was a founding member of the Iowa Development Commission and held a seat on the board of directors for eight years.
[1] Van Eaton remained active in municipal affairs throughout his time in Sioux City, receiving awards from the local branches of the Kiwanis and Salvation Army.
For his eighteen years of service on the municipal auditorium board, all but three as president, Van Eaton received the Golden Key to Sioux City.
[3] During the 1946 election cycle, Van Eaton faced Harold F. Nelson and Fred E. Riddle in a Republican Party primary.