William "Bill"'s Obituary
William “Bill” C. Austin, 85, of Great Falls, will have a viewing from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 6, 2023, at O’Connor Funeral Home. A funeral service will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 7, 2023, at Temple Baptist Church with burial to follow at Highland Cemetery.
On 01/01/2023, Angels welcomed with open arms Bill into the pearly gates of Heaven. Bill was born at home in the Town of Lincoln, upstate New York and was the oldest son of 11 siblings to Carl and Wanda Austin. He and most of his brothers and sisters were born and raised on a dairy farm milking cows (although Bill took clarinet in school to get out of milking cows on the days they played or practiced), bucking hay, shoveling cow manure, driving tractor, playing all sorts of games including basketball on the top floor of their huge family farmhouse. In his younger days, Bill was just a little bit of a troublemaker and could about talk any of one of his siblings into doing one of his crazy ideas like jumping out of the top of the barn opening onto the haystack! Even later he could weave a tale and hook all his grandchildren to believing that the story was true! In high school, Bill played football. He would say we played real football without all the fancy padding and helmets. However, he did lose his front teeth during one of the games. He played baseball and broke his ankle sliding into first base. He often said that everyone could hear the snap of his ankle at the game as it seemed to echo, as the crowd went silent. Unfortunately, he had trouble with that ankle throughout his life. Bill graduated from Madison New York High School, in 1955.
Bill joined the US Air Force immediately after graduating from high school. After boot camp, his career became offensive radar, deployed to north Africa. The USAF helped Bill grow up and shaped him into the man he wanted to become. A man with good character, morals, and values. He became a decisive, even a stubborn man and knew what he wanted so he marched into the high school and paged Joan C. Smith to the front office and asked her to marry him! They joined two hearts in one on 11/08/1957. Together they had three beautiful daughters and began their military life of traveling across the different lands for his country. He gave 23 years to the USAF and moved 21 times! Africa, New Jersey, Germany, New Mexico, New York, Mississippi (instructor at Keesler AFB), Vietnam (10/68-11/69), Germany (2nd tour), Greece, and Montana (12/74-9/77). He retired from USAF in 1977 and made Great Falls, MT his forever home.
Bill’s second career with Prudential selling primarily life insurance though later becoming licensed to sell all insurance and financial investments with a securities 6 license. As mentioned previously, he knew what he wanted. He was Rookie of the Year, selling 100-policies in the first year becoming a member of the 100-App Club. Later he was District Manager of the Prudential office in Great Falls recruiting, guiding, and training people to sell insurance. He always said, ‘everyone owes a life, why wouldn’t a person buy life insurance?’ He earned LUTCF and CLU degrees in the insurance field, staying educated with the ever-changing insurance industry. Bill helped so many families and friends in their time of need. Bill fully retired from his second career at age 80!
Bill was a member of several organizations and gave back to the community in many ways, member of Temple Baptist Church, 50+ year Blue Lodge member, Reunion Director, past Venerable Master of the Lodge of Perfection, at the Scottish Rite Valley in Great Falls, 33rd-degree Mason, and member of the board of directors and past secretary of the board of Great Falls Childhood Language Disorders Clinic, past president of Backcountry Horsemen, on the County Planning Board, County Zoning Board of Adjustment, Pachyderm, and Elks member.
After the passing of his first wife Joan in 1999, Bill was devastated by her death. However, the good Lord always has a plan, and he met another wonderful woman Kathy E. Jakubowski during a Hospice grief counseling support group. They married 03/10/2001, bringing three more children into his family; two sons and another lovely daughter! Together they built a new life. Camping with friends, riding horses, as Backcountry Horsemen members working with the forest service clearing trails, fixing fence, and building walking bridges. So thankful for their genuine love and taking care of Bill in his final days. Bill often shared with others how lucky he was to have found two women in his life to love. So many people never experience love once in their life.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Wanda Austin; sister, Irene Mininger; brothers, Lawrence, Allen, and Richard Austin; his first love of his life, Joan C. Austin; and their loving daughter, Terri Austin.
Bill is survived by his sisters, Marilyn Romano of New York, Debi (Dale) Klein of Florida, and Pam Austin of New York; brothers, Jerry (Ellie) Austin of New York, Mark (Julie) Austin of Michigan, and Jonny (Donna) Austin of Alabama; numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews; his second love of his life, Kathy E. Austin; children, Cheri (Lyle) Cusson II, Cynde Austin, Rob Jakubowski, Raelene (Guy) Norton, and Fred Jakubowski; grandchildren, Wendy (Rob) Smith, Lyle Cusson III, William (Katelyn) Cusson, Aaron (Tori) Meaders, and Kyla (Dylan) Atwood; great-grandchildren, Daedra Cusson, Aidan Smith, Tegan Jean-Joan Smith, Michael Meaders, Charley Cusson, Alice Cusson, Kesley Cusson, and Melody and Marcus Atwood; along with many grandpups and grandcats! Special lifelong friends, Garland and Joan Crowell.
The family has suggested memorials to Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorders Clinic, 1304 13th St S, Great Falls MT 59405 or donor of their choice.
