Olive Stafford Austin

Mrs. Olive S. Austin passed away November 29, 2009 at the age of 87. Mrs. Austin was born on August 1, 1922 to Ethel Stafford-McLane and Claude Leon Stafford in Norfolk, Virginia. She spent her teenaged years in the Masonic Home in Richmond where she was affectionately nicknamed “Tootie.” There, Mrs. Austin developed life-long friendships and a great appreciation for the care she received from the Masons. Mrs. Austin later met and fell in love with the late Decator “Tate” H. Austin of Hatteras, North Carolina. Following several dinner-dances, the two quickly married and grew inseparable for the rest of their lives. A devoted Air Force wife, Mrs. Austin spent 28 years living in such far-off locales as Puerto Rico, Newfoundland, Florida, Georgia and Louisiana. Mrs. Austin returned to Hampton Roads in 1967, where she spent her remaining years taking care of her husband, encouraging her children, and adoring her grandchildren. Mrs. Austin served as a member of the Community United Methodist Church, the Order of the Eastern Star and the Kempsville Homemakers Club. She is remembered for her unyielding devotion to her family, as well as an old cookie box that she stocked weekly for her grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents, her brothers Claude, Enoch, Walter and Charles Stafford, and her husband of 56 years. She is survived by her sister-in-law and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Davis of Norfolk, a sister-in-law, Ola Austin of Maneto, NC; and sister-in-law Betty Stafford of Falls Church, VA; her brother-in-law Albert L. “Bert” Austin of Grandy, N.C., her son, Tate Austin, and wife Carol F. Austin, her daughter Carolyn A. Culpepper and husband Herbert A. Culpepper, her son Gary L. Austin and wife Susie O. Austin, and daughter Karen A. Hayes and husband David D. Hayes, all of Virginia Beach, Virginia; and Michael D. Austin and wife Bonnie Austin of Greensboro, N.C. She is further survived by thirteen grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Services will be held at Smith & Williams Funeral Home at 4889 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23462, with the viewing Tuesday, December 1st from 6:00 to 8:00 pm and service on Wednesday at 11:00 am. Interment will follow at Princess Anne Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made either to the Masonic Home of Virginia, 4101 Nine Mile Road, Richmond, Va. 23223-4999 or to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, New York, NY 10018. Friends may offer condolences at www.mem.com.