Howard D. Austin, 92, of Boise (Idaho), died Wed., March 12, 1997, at home of natural causes.
Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, March 17, in the Alden-Waggoner Chapel. Pastor Ken Stamper of University Christian Church will officiate. Private inurnment will be at Joplin Pioneer Cemetery at a later date.
Howard was born May 30, 1904, at Eagle, Idaho, to Harry E. and Mary Gansel Austin. In 1914, his parents purchased a ranch in the Strawberry Glen area west of Boise. He attended schools at Pierce Park, Valley View, and Boise High School, then went to mechanics school in Kansas City. After finishing there he and a friend pooled their resources and went to Florida, where they worked on construction jobs building bridges. In 1925, he returned to Boise, worked on construction of the Egyptian Theater for J.O. Jordan Construction Co., and took over the management of the Strawberry Glen dairy farm. He milked 12 to 14 cows each day by hand.
Howard courted and later married the girl of his dreams and his best friend, Helen E. Keener, on June 3, 1927, at Boise. He worked for McGuffin Fuel Co. for several winters, then in 1936 purchased his first D-4 Caterpillar tractor. He pulled out many apple and prune orchards in the area which were unprofitable. He also logged and built Forest Service roads in the Lowman area and helped build the first ski jump at Bogus Basin in the early 1940's. He did custom land leveling and plowing, and was an independent contractor for the clearing of dam construction sites at Palisades and Dworshak dams in Idaho, and several sites in Oregon and Washington. In 1959 he was employed by Gordon McGregor Construction Co. in Montana, Washington, and Oregon, retiring in 1969. He and Helen moved back to the home farm in Strawberry Glen. Home looked real good!
He was a past president and 40-year board member of Drainage Ditch #4 and also a board member of Thurman Mill Irrigation District. He was a past master of Valley View Grange, serving as master for 28 years. When the two granges merged he became a member of Locust Grove Grange. He was a longtime member of the Treasure Valley Good Sam Club, and a former member of the Agrarian Club.
Survivors include his wife, Helen of Boise; a daughter, Gwen Walker of Boise; a son and daughter-in-law, James and Joyce Austin of Springfield, Ore.; 10 grandchildren, Susan Lowe of Aloha, Ore., Scott Walker of Tucson, Ariz., Sandy Orlovich of Boise, Stephanie Walker of Amboy, Wash., Diana Foss of Everett, Wash., Ginny Wright of Colorado Springs, Colo., Jay Austin of Springfield, Ore., Betsy Austin of Monmouth, Ore., Jane Austin of Eugene, Ore., and Cindy Dayton of Portland, Ore.; seven great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Howard was preceded in death by a daughter, Mary Louise Hathaway, in 1984; a brother, Harold G. Austin; and a sister, Helen Percy.
Memorials are suggested to the Idaho Youth Ranch, or Community Christian Church, Garden City, Idaho.
"Sweetheart, Dad, Grandpa... You were our source of strength, a teacher, a guide. The one we looked up to with loving trust and pride. You were there for us to give a helping hand, a partner, adviser, the finest kind of friend. You held the family close with a loving, understanding heart. Please go in peace into God's loving care."
Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, March 17, in the Alden-Waggoner Chapel. Pastor Ken Stamper of University Christian Church will officiate. Private inurnment will be at Joplin Pioneer Cemetery at a later date.
Howard was born May 30, 1904, at Eagle, Idaho, to Harry E. and Mary Gansel Austin. In 1914, his parents purchased a ranch in the Strawberry Glen area west of Boise. He attended schools at Pierce Park, Valley View, and Boise High School, then went to mechanics school in Kansas City. After finishing there he and a friend pooled their resources and went to Florida, where they worked on construction jobs building bridges. In 1925, he returned to Boise, worked on construction of the Egyptian Theater for J.O. Jordan Construction Co., and took over the management of the Strawberry Glen dairy farm. He milked 12 to 14 cows each day by hand.
Howard courted and later married the girl of his dreams and his best friend, Helen E. Keener, on June 3, 1927, at Boise. He worked for McGuffin Fuel Co. for several winters, then in 1936 purchased his first D-4 Caterpillar tractor. He pulled out many apple and prune orchards in the area which were unprofitable. He also logged and built Forest Service roads in the Lowman area and helped build the first ski jump at Bogus Basin in the early 1940's. He did custom land leveling and plowing, and was an independent contractor for the clearing of dam construction sites at Palisades and Dworshak dams in Idaho, and several sites in Oregon and Washington. In 1959 he was employed by Gordon McGregor Construction Co. in Montana, Washington, and Oregon, retiring in 1969. He and Helen moved back to the home farm in Strawberry Glen. Home looked real good!
He was a past president and 40-year board member of Drainage Ditch #4 and also a board member of Thurman Mill Irrigation District. He was a past master of Valley View Grange, serving as master for 28 years. When the two granges merged he became a member of Locust Grove Grange. He was a longtime member of the Treasure Valley Good Sam Club, and a former member of the Agrarian Club.
Survivors include his wife, Helen of Boise; a daughter, Gwen Walker of Boise; a son and daughter-in-law, James and Joyce Austin of Springfield, Ore.; 10 grandchildren, Susan Lowe of Aloha, Ore., Scott Walker of Tucson, Ariz., Sandy Orlovich of Boise, Stephanie Walker of Amboy, Wash., Diana Foss of Everett, Wash., Ginny Wright of Colorado Springs, Colo., Jay Austin of Springfield, Ore., Betsy Austin of Monmouth, Ore., Jane Austin of Eugene, Ore., and Cindy Dayton of Portland, Ore.; seven great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Howard was preceded in death by a daughter, Mary Louise Hathaway, in 1984; a brother, Harold G. Austin; and a sister, Helen Percy.
Memorials are suggested to the Idaho Youth Ranch, or Community Christian Church, Garden City, Idaho.
"Sweetheart, Dad, Grandpa... You were our source of strength, a teacher, a guide. The one we looked up to with loving trust and pride. You were there for us to give a helping hand, a partner, adviser, the finest kind of friend. You held the family close with a loving, understanding heart. Please go in peace into God's loving care."
Howard D. Austin, 92, of Boise (Idaho), died Wed., March 12, 1997, at home of natural causes.
Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, March 17, in the Alden-Waggoner Chapel. Pastor Ken Stamper of University Christian Church will officiate. Private inurnment will be at Joplin Pioneer Cemetery at a later date.
Howard was born May 30, 1904, at Eagle, Idaho, to Harry E. and Mary Gansel Austin. In 1914, his parents purchased a ranch in the Strawberry Glen area west of Boise. He attended schools at Pierce Park, Valley View, and Boise High School, then went to mechanics school in Kansas City. After finishing there he and a friend pooled their resources and went to Florida, where they worked on construction jobs building bridges. In 1925, he returned to Boise, worked on construction of the Egyptian Theater for J.O. Jordan Construction Co., and took over the management of the Strawberry Glen dairy farm. He milked 12 to 14 cows each day by hand.
Howard courted and later married the girl of his dreams and his best friend, Helen E. Keener, on June 3, 1927, at Boise. He worked for McGuffin Fuel Co. for several winters, then in 1936 purchased his first D-4 Caterpillar tractor. He pulled out many apple and prune orchards in the area which were unprofitable. He also logged and built Forest Service roads in the Lowman area and helped build the first ski jump at Bogus Basin in the early 1940's. He did custom land leveling and plowing, and was an independent contractor for the clearing of dam construction sites at Palisades and Dworshak dams in Idaho, and several sites in Oregon and Washington. In 1959 he was employed by Gordon McGregor Construction Co. in Montana, Washington, and Oregon, retiring in 1969. He and Helen moved back to the home farm in Strawberry Glen. Home looked real good!
He was a past president and 40-year board member of Drainage Ditch #4 and also a board member of Thurman Mill Irrigation District. He was a past master of Valley View Grange, serving as master for 28 years. When the two granges merged he became a member of Locust Grove Grange. He was a longtime member of the Treasure Valley Good Sam Club, and a former member of the Agrarian Club.
Survivors include his wife, Helen of Boise; a daughter, Gwen Walker of Boise; a son and daughter-in-law, James and Joyce Austin of Springfield, Ore.; 10 grandchildren, Susan Lowe of Aloha, Ore., Scott Walker of Tucson, Ariz., Sandy Orlovich of Boise, Stephanie Walker of Amboy, Wash., Diana Foss of Everett, Wash., Ginny Wright of Colorado Springs, Colo., Jay Austin of Springfield, Ore., Betsy Austin of Monmouth, Ore., Jane Austin of Eugene, Ore., and Cindy Dayton of Portland, Ore.; seven great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Howard was preceded in death by a daughter, Mary Louise Hathaway, in 1984; a brother, Harold G. Austin; and a sister, Helen Percy.
Memorials are suggested to the Idaho Youth Ranch, or Community Christian Church, Garden City, Idaho.
"Sweetheart, Dad, Grandpa... You were our source of strength, a teacher, a guide. The one we looked up to with loving trust and pride. You were there for us to give a helping hand, a partner, adviser, the finest kind of friend. You held the family close with a loving, understanding heart. Please go in peace into God's loving care."
Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, March 17, in the Alden-Waggoner Chapel. Pastor Ken Stamper of University Christian Church will officiate. Private inurnment will be at Joplin Pioneer Cemetery at a later date.
Howard was born May 30, 1904, at Eagle, Idaho, to Harry E. and Mary Gansel Austin. In 1914, his parents purchased a ranch in the Strawberry Glen area west of Boise. He attended schools at Pierce Park, Valley View, and Boise High School, then went to mechanics school in Kansas City. After finishing there he and a friend pooled their resources and went to Florida, where they worked on construction jobs building bridges. In 1925, he returned to Boise, worked on construction of the Egyptian Theater for J.O. Jordan Construction Co., and took over the management of the Strawberry Glen dairy farm. He milked 12 to 14 cows each day by hand.
Howard courted and later married the girl of his dreams and his best friend, Helen E. Keener, on June 3, 1927, at Boise. He worked for McGuffin Fuel Co. for several winters, then in 1936 purchased his first D-4 Caterpillar tractor. He pulled out many apple and prune orchards in the area which were unprofitable. He also logged and built Forest Service roads in the Lowman area and helped build the first ski jump at Bogus Basin in the early 1940's. He did custom land leveling and plowing, and was an independent contractor for the clearing of dam construction sites at Palisades and Dworshak dams in Idaho, and several sites in Oregon and Washington. In 1959 he was employed by Gordon McGregor Construction Co. in Montana, Washington, and Oregon, retiring in 1969. He and Helen moved back to the home farm in Strawberry Glen. Home looked real good!
He was a past president and 40-year board member of Drainage Ditch #4 and also a board member of Thurman Mill Irrigation District. He was a past master of Valley View Grange, serving as master for 28 years. When the two granges merged he became a member of Locust Grove Grange. He was a longtime member of the Treasure Valley Good Sam Club, and a former member of the Agrarian Club.
Survivors include his wife, Helen of Boise; a daughter, Gwen Walker of Boise; a son and daughter-in-law, James and Joyce Austin of Springfield, Ore.; 10 grandchildren, Susan Lowe of Aloha, Ore., Scott Walker of Tucson, Ariz., Sandy Orlovich of Boise, Stephanie Walker of Amboy, Wash., Diana Foss of Everett, Wash., Ginny Wright of Colorado Springs, Colo., Jay Austin of Springfield, Ore., Betsy Austin of Monmouth, Ore., Jane Austin of Eugene, Ore., and Cindy Dayton of Portland, Ore.; seven great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Howard was preceded in death by a daughter, Mary Louise Hathaway, in 1984; a brother, Harold G. Austin; and a sister, Helen Percy.
Memorials are suggested to the Idaho Youth Ranch, or Community Christian Church, Garden City, Idaho.
"Sweetheart, Dad, Grandpa... You were our source of strength, a teacher, a guide. The one we looked up to with loving trust and pride. You were there for us to give a helping hand, a partner, adviser, the finest kind of friend. You held the family close with a loving, understanding heart. Please go in peace into God's loving care."
Inscription
Married Jun. 13, 1927 Our children Gwendolyn, Mary Louise, James
Gravesite Details
Dual stone with spouse
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