Beverly Jane Austin

Beverly Jane Austin passed away peacefully on December 1 , 2015 in the presence of her three children who survive her: Julia, Kimberly (Brad), and Mark (Ann). Also surviving are her six grandchildren Meredith, Dana, Mallory, Marty, Kyle, and Curtis, and her new great-granddaughter Adeline, whom she was able to meet in September.

Beverly was born August 18th, 1922 in Sycamore, Illinois. She originally lived on the family farm, surrounded by other farms owned by her aunts and uncles. During the depression, her father lost the farm and the family moved into town. As a young girl she occasionally traveled to Sunnyside, Washington where her mother Alice visited her old high school friend Ada Austin. In Sunnyside, Beverly first met Ada’s son Marty when they were about 7 years old, although Beverly was slightly older and likely more mature.

After high school, Bev attended the University of Illinois while Marty started college at Washington State University. World War II interrupted their educations, sending Marty to the Navy, with training at the Great Lakes Naval Base north of Chicago. Meanwhile, Beverly was working at the University of Chicago for Enrico Fermi, the renowned atomic physicist. Bev’s large family in the Sycamore area had a Christmas tradition of a multi-family meal at one of the farmhouses. In 1943, Alice invited the lonely sailor Marty, stationed nearby at Great Lakes, to the Christmas dinner. According to a memoir Bev wrote late in her life, Marty was a big hit with the family. Apparently, he was also a hit with Beverly. Alice continued her matchmaking efforts with additional invitations for Marty to visit Sycamore, but Marty always seemed to have a conflict. Bev was soon convinced that Marty was uninterested, but apparently she was mistaken. Marty was finally able to make it back to Sycamore, and soon Bev and Marty were in love.

After the war, they were married in Sycamore, and subsequently moved to Seattle, living in the ground floor of Ada’s rooming house. Marty finished college at Seattle University while Bev worked to support them. In 1948 they moved to St. Louis where Marty attended St. Louis University School of Medicine. In St. Louis, Bev worked as a secretary in the physics department at Washington University. They made St. Louis their home for the remainders of their lives, buying their first house in Webster Groves.

In 1967, Marty died suddenly at age 44, and Bev assumed the role of both mother and father to 3 adolescent children. She resumed work, at John Burroughs School, as the admissions secretary, although from the perspective of most students, she was the admissions director. She was also secretary to several principals, which occasionally led to awkward situations for her children who attended the school. At Burroughs, Bev made many cherished and lifelong friends.

During her time at Burroughs, Bev moved the family from the ranch house in Frontenac back to Glendale into an old 2-story colonial house. That brought the family full circle back to the Webster area. After her children were adults and gone from the nest, Bev moved from her house to Pacific Place in Old Orchard, maintaining her roots in the Webster area. Her longstanding friendships from Burroughs and the Webster community continued to thrive, while she made many new friends at Pacific Place. She also continued her active involvement in Emmanuel Church, particularly enjoying the flower guild and food bank.

She had many interests, enjoying reading and travel in particular, as well as chocolate. She and her girlfriends traveled continentally and to Europe on multiple occasions, and a cruise or a hike on the Appalachian Trail was also in her repertoire. She also enjoyed visiting her grandchildren in New Mexico and Michigan, and spent her share of time eating green chili, cruising on pontoon boats, and cutting down Christmas trees.

Her family always consisted of both biological family as well as close friends, and her family was continuously expanding. Any comments posted on the website from members of this family would be greatly appreciated. We can continue to learn about her influence on others’ lives from these comments. Any photographs you would like to share can be brought to the memorial service.

Memorial Services will be 3:00 P.M., Monday, January 4, at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 9 S. Bompart Ave., Webster Groves. Reception to follow at Old Orchard Gardens, 39 S. Old Orchard Ave., Webster Groves. The family suggests memorial contributions to Emmanuel Episcopal Church Food Bank, St. Louis Symphony, or St. Louis County Library