Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND001 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 11254
Title: William, Dr. G. Austin
Date: 1936 - 2007
Creator:
Inscription/Marks: 5/6/1936
Summary: Dr. William G. Austin, 70, Bismarck, died peacefully in his sleep on January 26, 2007. A memorial service was held on Tuesday, January 30 at Eastgate Funeral Service Chapel in Bismarck. William “Bill” was born on May 6, 1936, in Bismarck, the son of William J. and Mary (Igoe) Austin. He graduated from Pacific University School of Optometry in May of 1959. Bill practiced optometry for 25 years in Bismarck. Bill married Sharon Leach on July 7, 1962, in Bismarck. He was a lifetime member of the North Dakota Optometric Association. He received their highest honor of Optometrist of the Year for 1975. During his time as an optometrist, he founded Vision Services, an insurance company for eye glasses. He then turned the management over to the Optometric Association. Bill established the Optometric Room at the North Dakota State Heritage Center, raising funds and finding the displays, and donating this to the Heritage Center. Bill was chairman of the committee that merged the United Ways of Bismarck and Mandan, he wrote that constitution, and visualized the name of Missouri Slope Areawide United Way. When he was 55 years old, he decided to attend the University of Mary and received a degree in management. He then became the CEO of the American Lung Association of North Dakota. He loved this work and often stated it was so much funthat he would have done it for free! He was a published author and the day before his death, he received word that his current work would be published in the next 30 days. Bill received a donor kidney in 2001 and he countedhis blessings for this gift of life. Bill was a member of the Elks and the Masons. He was an avid hunter of moose and caribou, and he enjoyed his fishing trips to Canada, the Sea of Cortez, and Florida. His greatest love was fishing and he called the tail race below Lake Sakakawea his second home. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Sharon; his sister, Maral (Loering) Johnson; his brother-in-law, Clark (Bonnie) Leach; his sister-in-law, Corlie (Ralph) Rohr; his brother-in-law, Aldon Anderson; his sister, Bonnie Banks; and numerous very special nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Red ID: FND_I_62018 Image ID: 522399 Image Notes: FND001 11254

Collection: FND001 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Date: -

Summary: The North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program is sponsored by the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association. The life stories of deceased North Dakotans are featured in an archvied collection. Current partners in the project are Eastgate Funeral & Cremation Services, Bismarck Evans Funeral Homes, Carrington and New Rockford Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home, Williston Fulkerson Funeral Home, Tioga Fulkerson Funeral Home, Watford City Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Williston Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck Springan Stevenson Funeral Home, Stanley Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson These funeral homes provide recent obituaries to the Foundation, where staff and volunteers format, edit and archive each memorial. The memorials are posted, and copies are sent to the family for their input and approval. The listing currently features more than 13,000 memorials, and is constantly updated as new memorials and histories are received.

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