John Austin

HILLSBOROUGH - Mr. John Thomas Austin, Sr., 81, died Tuesday, May 20, 2014. He was born and lived in Orange County all his life. He attended the Orange County schools and later received his GED from Alamance Community College. He worked at Cone Mills before serving in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He retired from the Orange County Sheriff's Department. He did upholstery work for many years. He was a member of Palmer's Grove United Methodist Church where he was the cemetery caretaker. He was a mason in Eagle Lodge #19. Surviving are his wife, Mabel Miller Austin, two sons, John T. Austin, Jr., Hillsborough, and Dale Robert Austin, Sr., Mebane, five grandchildren: Dale Austin, Jr., Ashley Austin, Jennifer Austin, John Thomas Austin, III, and Jacob Austin, six great grandchildren: Ashliegh, Greenly, Alex, Maniah, Aydan, and Addyson, two brothers, Curtis Austin, Jr. and Frank Austin (Helen), and his aunt, Helen Gates Davis. He was predeceased by his parents, Custis Austin, Sr. and Annie Lou Gates Austin, his sister, Jo Ann Austin Wilson, and his brother, Norman Austin. Funeral services will be held 4 PM Friday in Walker's Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will be in Palmer's Grove United Methodist Church Cemetery. Visitation will be 6-8 PM Thursday in Walker's Funeral Home. Walkersfuneral@aol.com