T. D. Austin went home to be with the Lord July 14, 2011, surrounded by his loving family.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in LaGrone-Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors Coulter Road Chapel, 8310 S. Coulter St., with retired Col. Clayton Hoffman, USAR, officiating. Burial with military honors rendered by VFW Post 430 and the American Legion will be in Llano Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday.
T.D. Austin was born Aug. 22, 1922, to Thomas Demetrius "Met" and Ida Adams Austin in Wellington, Collingsworth County. He lived in the Wellington area and surrounding communities for many years, attending school there and working.
At the premature death of his father, Met, in August 1932, Ida, T.D. and his sister, Catherine, were determined to keep their family of six children together. During those depression years, this meant hours of much hard physical labor for long hours for the young widow and oldest children. T.D. found work in the National Youth Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps to earn money for the struggling family.
The day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941, T.D. went to Dallas to sign up for service to his country. He chose the U.S. Navy. He served on the destroyer, USS Isherwood, as a gunner's mate from January 1942 to October 1945.
The Isherwood participated in major operations in both theaters of the war, culminating with the Invasion of Okinawa. T.D. survived the direct "hit" from a Japanese kamikaze plane that resulted in over 80 men killed, injured or missing.
After the war, he enrolled in Draughon's Business College, where he met his future wife-to-be, Marilyn Davis, from Phillips. They were married Sept. 28 1951.
T.D. became interested in the latest electronic gadget of his time, television, and decided to attend Texas Trade School in Dallas for radio and television training. He earned his FCC license, and worked in broadcast engineering and telecommunications from 1954 to 1987 in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma. He was instrumental in helping bring cable TV to the Texas Panhandle.
T.D. was a member of many organizations and fraternal orders throughout the years, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Elks and the Moose. He was a member of the VFW Post 430 in Canyon and BPO Elks Lodge in Amarillo. He was a member of Kingswood Methodist Church in Amarillo. He had an incredible love of our nation's history, and enjoyed traveling with his wife and family to many places. During this time he also earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in business and telecommunications.
T.D. is survived by his wife of 59 years, Marilyn Davis Austin; two daughters: Jenny Blessen and husband Ron of Amarillo and Teri Oaks and husband Russ of Norris, Tenn.; four grandchildren, Aleshia Blessen, Laura Wolf and husband Ryan, Chris Blessen and wife Allison Karr, and Will Oaks; three great-granddaughters, Selah, Eden and Jillian Wolf; a sister, Modene Horton of Wellington; a brother, Jerry Austin of Childress; and numerous nephews and nieces and their children.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to VFW Post 430, P.O. Box 417, Canyon, TX 79015; or Olivia's Angels, in care of BSA Hospice, P.O. Box 950, Amarillo, TX 79105.
The family would like to thank the staff at BSA for their support and kindness during the last days of T.D.s life. You are truly angels.
To read more about T.D.'s life or to post your own memories and condolences, go to www.tdaustin.blogspot.com.
Sign the online guest book at www.lagroneblackburnshaw.com.
Amarillo Globe-News, July 17, 2011
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in LaGrone-Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors Coulter Road Chapel, 8310 S. Coulter St., with retired Col. Clayton Hoffman, USAR, officiating. Burial with military honors rendered by VFW Post 430 and the American Legion will be in Llano Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday.
T.D. Austin was born Aug. 22, 1922, to Thomas Demetrius "Met" and Ida Adams Austin in Wellington, Collingsworth County. He lived in the Wellington area and surrounding communities for many years, attending school there and working.
At the premature death of his father, Met, in August 1932, Ida, T.D. and his sister, Catherine, were determined to keep their family of six children together. During those depression years, this meant hours of much hard physical labor for long hours for the young widow and oldest children. T.D. found work in the National Youth Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps to earn money for the struggling family.
The day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941, T.D. went to Dallas to sign up for service to his country. He chose the U.S. Navy. He served on the destroyer, USS Isherwood, as a gunner's mate from January 1942 to October 1945.
The Isherwood participated in major operations in both theaters of the war, culminating with the Invasion of Okinawa. T.D. survived the direct "hit" from a Japanese kamikaze plane that resulted in over 80 men killed, injured or missing.
After the war, he enrolled in Draughon's Business College, where he met his future wife-to-be, Marilyn Davis, from Phillips. They were married Sept. 28 1951.
T.D. became interested in the latest electronic gadget of his time, television, and decided to attend Texas Trade School in Dallas for radio and television training. He earned his FCC license, and worked in broadcast engineering and telecommunications from 1954 to 1987 in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma. He was instrumental in helping bring cable TV to the Texas Panhandle.
T.D. was a member of many organizations and fraternal orders throughout the years, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Elks and the Moose. He was a member of the VFW Post 430 in Canyon and BPO Elks Lodge in Amarillo. He was a member of Kingswood Methodist Church in Amarillo. He had an incredible love of our nation's history, and enjoyed traveling with his wife and family to many places. During this time he also earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in business and telecommunications.
T.D. is survived by his wife of 59 years, Marilyn Davis Austin; two daughters: Jenny Blessen and husband Ron of Amarillo and Teri Oaks and husband Russ of Norris, Tenn.; four grandchildren, Aleshia Blessen, Laura Wolf and husband Ryan, Chris Blessen and wife Allison Karr, and Will Oaks; three great-granddaughters, Selah, Eden and Jillian Wolf; a sister, Modene Horton of Wellington; a brother, Jerry Austin of Childress; and numerous nephews and nieces and their children.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to VFW Post 430, P.O. Box 417, Canyon, TX 79015; or Olivia's Angels, in care of BSA Hospice, P.O. Box 950, Amarillo, TX 79105.
The family would like to thank the staff at BSA for their support and kindness during the last days of T.D.s life. You are truly angels.
To read more about T.D.'s life or to post your own memories and condolences, go to www.tdaustin.blogspot.com.
Sign the online guest book at www.lagroneblackburnshaw.com.
Amarillo Globe-News, July 17, 2011
T. D. Austin went home to be with the Lord July 14, 2011, surrounded by his loving family.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in LaGrone-Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors Coulter Road Chapel, 8310 S. Coulter St., with retired Col. Clayton Hoffman, USAR, officiating. Burial with military honors rendered by VFW Post 430 and the American Legion will be in Llano Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday.
T.D. Austin was born Aug. 22, 1922, to Thomas Demetrius "Met" and Ida Adams Austin in Wellington, Collingsworth County. He lived in the Wellington area and surrounding communities for many years, attending school there and working.
At the premature death of his father, Met, in August 1932, Ida, T.D. and his sister, Catherine, were determined to keep their family of six children together. During those depression years, this meant hours of much hard physical labor for long hours for the young widow and oldest children. T.D. found work in the National Youth Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps to earn money for the struggling family.
The day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941, T.D. went to Dallas to sign up for service to his country. He chose the U.S. Navy. He served on the destroyer, USS Isherwood, as a gunner's mate from January 1942 to October 1945.
The Isherwood participated in major operations in both theaters of the war, culminating with the Invasion of Okinawa. T.D. survived the direct "hit" from a Japanese kamikaze plane that resulted in over 80 men killed, injured or missing.
After the war, he enrolled in Draughon's Business College, where he met his future wife-to-be, Marilyn Davis, from Phillips. They were married Sept. 28 1951.
T.D. became interested in the latest electronic gadget of his time, television, and decided to attend Texas Trade School in Dallas for radio and television training. He earned his FCC license, and worked in broadcast engineering and telecommunications from 1954 to 1987 in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma. He was instrumental in helping bring cable TV to the Texas Panhandle.
T.D. was a member of many organizations and fraternal orders throughout the years, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Elks and the Moose. He was a member of the VFW Post 430 in Canyon and BPO Elks Lodge in Amarillo. He was a member of Kingswood Methodist Church in Amarillo. He had an incredible love of our nation's history, and enjoyed traveling with his wife and family to many places. During this time he also earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in business and telecommunications.
T.D. is survived by his wife of 59 years, Marilyn Davis Austin; two daughters: Jenny Blessen and husband Ron of Amarillo and Teri Oaks and husband Russ of Norris, Tenn.; four grandchildren, Aleshia Blessen, Laura Wolf and husband Ryan, Chris Blessen and wife Allison Karr, and Will Oaks; three great-granddaughters, Selah, Eden and Jillian Wolf; a sister, Modene Horton of Wellington; a brother, Jerry Austin of Childress; and numerous nephews and nieces and their children.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to VFW Post 430, P.O. Box 417, Canyon, TX 79015; or Olivia's Angels, in care of BSA Hospice, P.O. Box 950, Amarillo, TX 79105.
The family would like to thank the staff at BSA for their support and kindness during the last days of T.D.s life. You are truly angels.
To read more about T.D.'s life or to post your own memories and condolences, go to www.tdaustin.blogspot.com.
Sign the online guest book at www.lagroneblackburnshaw.com.
Amarillo Globe-News, July 17, 2011
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in LaGrone-Blackburn-Shaw Funeral Directors Coulter Road Chapel, 8310 S. Coulter St., with retired Col. Clayton Hoffman, USAR, officiating. Burial with military honors rendered by VFW Post 430 and the American Legion will be in Llano Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday.
T.D. Austin was born Aug. 22, 1922, to Thomas Demetrius "Met" and Ida Adams Austin in Wellington, Collingsworth County. He lived in the Wellington area and surrounding communities for many years, attending school there and working.
At the premature death of his father, Met, in August 1932, Ida, T.D. and his sister, Catherine, were determined to keep their family of six children together. During those depression years, this meant hours of much hard physical labor for long hours for the young widow and oldest children. T.D. found work in the National Youth Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps to earn money for the struggling family.
The day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941, T.D. went to Dallas to sign up for service to his country. He chose the U.S. Navy. He served on the destroyer, USS Isherwood, as a gunner's mate from January 1942 to October 1945.
The Isherwood participated in major operations in both theaters of the war, culminating with the Invasion of Okinawa. T.D. survived the direct "hit" from a Japanese kamikaze plane that resulted in over 80 men killed, injured or missing.
After the war, he enrolled in Draughon's Business College, where he met his future wife-to-be, Marilyn Davis, from Phillips. They were married Sept. 28 1951.
T.D. became interested in the latest electronic gadget of his time, television, and decided to attend Texas Trade School in Dallas for radio and television training. He earned his FCC license, and worked in broadcast engineering and telecommunications from 1954 to 1987 in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma. He was instrumental in helping bring cable TV to the Texas Panhandle.
T.D. was a member of many organizations and fraternal orders throughout the years, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Elks and the Moose. He was a member of the VFW Post 430 in Canyon and BPO Elks Lodge in Amarillo. He was a member of Kingswood Methodist Church in Amarillo. He had an incredible love of our nation's history, and enjoyed traveling with his wife and family to many places. During this time he also earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in business and telecommunications.
T.D. is survived by his wife of 59 years, Marilyn Davis Austin; two daughters: Jenny Blessen and husband Ron of Amarillo and Teri Oaks and husband Russ of Norris, Tenn.; four grandchildren, Aleshia Blessen, Laura Wolf and husband Ryan, Chris Blessen and wife Allison Karr, and Will Oaks; three great-granddaughters, Selah, Eden and Jillian Wolf; a sister, Modene Horton of Wellington; a brother, Jerry Austin of Childress; and numerous nephews and nieces and their children.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to VFW Post 430, P.O. Box 417, Canyon, TX 79015; or Olivia's Angels, in care of BSA Hospice, P.O. Box 950, Amarillo, TX 79105.
The family would like to thank the staff at BSA for their support and kindness during the last days of T.D.s life. You are truly angels.
To read more about T.D.'s life or to post your own memories and condolences, go to www.tdaustin.blogspot.com.
Sign the online guest book at www.lagroneblackburnshaw.com.
Amarillo Globe-News, July 17, 2011
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