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Alan Austin, 74, passed away on Dec.26, 2021, at Florence Hospital in Florence, Arizona. There will be a Memorial Gathering 2 p.m. Jan. 8 at the Afton Community Center in Afton, Iowa. Memorials can be made to the East Union Dollars for Scholars.
Alan Paul Austin, the sixth of nine children of Forrest M. and Catherine Janice (Coe) Austin, was born Nov. 7, 1947, on a farm near East Peru, Iowa. Alan graduated from East Union Community Schools in 1965, graduated salutatorian from Southwestern Community College in 1967, and finished his schooling at Southwest Missouri State in 1970 with a degree in Industrial Technology.
Alan married Kathryn (Kathy) Ann Swab on January 25, 1969. He also enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1969, receiving his silver pilot wings in 1971. For a time, he was stationed in Vietnam where he flew recon, and supplied troops on the ground.
In 1975 Alan and Kathy moved back to Iowa, where Alan joined his brother, F. Marion Austin, in a home construction business in Afton. In 1982 he joined the team at Wellman Dynamics in the lab, later being promoted to engineering. He retired in 2012 as a senior engineer.
Alan and Kathy enjoyed travel and in their retirement traveled the country with their camper stopping at many Dairy Queens along the way! Eventually they chose to spend winters in Florence, Arizona. They included their family in their travels, often taking their girls or the grandchildren on trips. Each grandchild was given the opportunity to select a destination and were taken on the trip that they helped plan.
Alan was loved greatly by family and friends. Their children include Kathryn Lanee, Brenda Sue Cook (Greg), and Theresa (Terri) Lynn (Shawn) Bailey. Grandchildren include Codie (Nikki), Skylar (Taylor), Abbie, Katarina (Nathan), Alyssa, and Ty, plus 9 great-grandchildren.
Alan was preceded in death by his parents, Forrest M and C. Janice Austin; daughter Kathryn Lanee; and siblings F. Marion Austin, Kathryn J. (Austin) Siddens, Gary L Austin, and Linda S (Austin) Larimer.