Oscar Austin

Oscar Austin, 97, New England, died Sunday, May 16, 2004, at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Mott. Memorial services will be 11 a. m. , Saturday, May 22, 2004 at Our Redeemer?s Lutheran Church, New England with Chaplain James Oakland officiating. Inurnment will be in Havelock Cemetery at a later date. Oscar Austin was born September 16, 1906, in Havelock, North Dakota to Gunder and Emily (Amundson) Austin. He attended elementary school at Helleckson and high school at Havelock Consolidated School. He married Esther Olson on June 23, 1939, in Mott. Oscar led a colorful life, working as a ranch hand on ranches in Canada and Montana, cotton farms in California and Texas, and orchards in Washington. He mined for gold in the mountains of Montana and South Dakota. He returned to the Havelock area and mined coal and farmed until he retired. Oscar was very civic minded and served on the Township Board, School Board, Farmers Union Oil Co. Board and the Co-op Store Board. He was on the founding boards of The New England Credit Union, Hettinger County Historical Society and Life Line. Oscar enjoyed gardening, reading, working at the Hettinger County Historical Society Museum and writing his life stories. He also enjoyed playing cards, collecting Indian artifacts and dancing. Oscar is survived by his wife, Esther, New England; two sons, Donald Austin, Newport Beach, CA, Roger (Debbie) Austin, Missoula, MT; two daughters, Linda Austin, Kent, WA and Corrine (Bruce) Bach, Phoenix, AZ; seven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; one brother, Robert (Joyce) Austin, Beach, ND; one sister, Ragna Mesling, New England, ND. He was preceded in death by: parents, three sisters, Lila, Ingrid and Edith; two brothers, George and Fred. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in Oscar?s name to the Hettinger County Historical Society.


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Burial Date: May 22, 2004
Funeral Home Dickinson, ND

Memorial Service: Saturday, Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church, New England