Edward O. Austin

Edward O. Austin,91, of Sarasota, Florida, formerly of Pekin, Illinois died Tuesday, January 3, at his home in Sarasota, Florida. He was born March 25, 1920 in Pekin, Illinois. He was the son of Edward and Minnie (Kraft) Austin. Edward attended high school in Pekin. He married Leona D. Faux in 1941 and she preceded him in death in 2005 along with his parents and a sister, Elizabeth.

Survivors include two sons, J.W. (Sharon) Austin of Sarasota, Florida, and John (Marge) Austin of Manito, Illinois. Two daughters also survive, Jody (Terry) Hierman of Centennial, Colorado, and Kora Lee (David) Kirgan of Pekin, Illinois. He has 7 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren and a brother, Byrl (Christine) Austin of Tremont, Illinois that is surviving.

He worked in the tin shop at Corn Products and at B&W Trailer until he retired to Florida in 1975. A World War II veteran, Mr. Austin served in the United States Army from 1941 to 1945. He was in the horse cavalry riding in the border patrol at Fort Brown in Brownsville, Texas. Later he was sent to the China-Burma-India Theater where he saw action with General Joe Stilwell on the Burma Road (Bhamo Junction).

He was a past member of the Normandale Reformed Church and the Cerelose Credit Union and had been a Boy Scout Scoutmaster with the Corn Products Troop and the Elks Club Troop.

Funeral Services will be Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 11:00 AM at the Davison Fulton Woolsey Funeral Home in Pekin, Illinois. Rev. Jack Thompson will officiate. Visitation will be Monday, from 5-7 PM Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Glendale Memorial Gardens with Military Honors.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Normandale Reformed Church, 2001 S. Second St. Pekin, Illinois, 61554. Please visit Edward’s life story at www.davisonfultonwoolsey.com.