Lola Bell Austin

Mrs. Austin died August 16,2025 at Harker Heights, Texas. She was born at home on April 1,1937 in the House Community, Neshoba County, Mississippi. She was the daughter of John Robert Barton and Ovie Arizona (Hitt) Barton. She attended House High School and graduated from the eleventh grade. She married Howard Evans Beckham on December 1,1952. The marriage was blessed with three children, Linda, Diane, and Howard Dwayne Beckham. Her second marriage was to Robert Truman Austin in Killeen, Texas on May 2, 1979. Mrs. Austin worked as a waitress at the Yellow Cab Café and later at the local telephone company for thirty years as an operator and later as a service representative.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her three brothers John Robert (J.R.) Barton, Franklin Delano “Frank” Barton, John Robert “Bobby” Barton, sister Catherine “Cat” Elizabeth Craig and her husband, Robert Truman Austin.

Survivors include her daughters, Linda (Robert) Bailey of Killeen. Diane (Aaron) Fry, of Gatesville, her son, Howard Dwayne (Linda) Beckham of Killeen, her sister, Evelyn Hayes of Irvington, Alabama, her sister-in-law, Tommie Pritchard of Meridian, Mississippi and her sister-in-law Jean Barton of Biloxi, Mississippi. Her grandchildren, Becky (Don) McNiesh , Melissa (Jason) Millwee, Cody (April) Fry, Melinda (Andrew) Rosploch, Mallory (Joe) English and Jared Beckham. Her great-grandchildren, Cameron McNiesh, Liam Fry, Lainie English, Brage English, Ava Fry, Tristan Rosploch, and Goldie Rosploch.

The family would like to thank Lupe Terrell for her devotion and care for Mrs. Austin through the years.