Charles O. AUSTIN, Jr.

AUSTIN, PEPPER, ABLARD

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:58

December 26, 1914 --- October 29, 1999

Charles O. Austin Jr., 84, of 1721 23rd Ave., Rock Island, died Friday, Oct. 29, 1999, in Rock Island. Memorial services are 3 p.m. Sunday at Rock Island High School Auditorium. Family will receive friends immediately following the memorial service in the Rock Island High School library. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorials be sent to Rock Island High School Honors Program, c/o Charles Austin III, 4507 41st Ave. Court, Rock Island, IL 61201. The body was donated to the University of Iowa School of Medicine. Hodgson Funeral Home Ltd., Rock Island, is in charge of arrangements.

He was born Dec. 26, 1914, in Decatur, the son of Charles O. Sr. and Olive Pepper Austin. He married Mary Ablard May 6, 1943, in Little Rock, Ark. She died May 18, 1982. He graduated from Charleston (Ill.) High School in 1932, and Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science degree in economics in 1936; received a master's degree from State University of Iowa in 1940; and completed additional graduate work in education, history and human relations at the University of Iowa and Western Illinois University.

His career included teaching assignments in Ida Grove, Iowa, and Iowa City, Iowa. He served as high-school principal in West Liberty, Iowa, Clarion, Iowa, and Taylorsville, Ill., prior to coming to Rock Island in 1951.

He served as high-school principal at Rock Island from 1951 to 1965; was assistant superintendent from 1965 to 1966; and was Rock Island-Milan School District Superintendent of Schools from 1966 to 1973.

Following his career in education, he was executive director of Junior Achievement of the Quad Cities Area Inc. from 1973 to 1975, and was vice president of marketing at the American Bank of Rock Island from 1979 to 1987.

Mr. Austin was elected to the legislative commission of the Illinois High School Association and served one year as chairman. From 1960 to 1963 he served as a member of the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction's committee for implementing a program for gifted children in Illinois. From 1963 to 1965, he served on the first Advisory Council on Gifted Children for the state of Illinois, and from 1971 to 1973 he served on the State Finance Committee.

Mr. Austin had five articles on educational administration printed in Illinois Education or The Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Charles Austin was a life member of the National Education Association; a retired member of the Illinois Association of School Administrators; and a member of Phi Delta Kappa from 1947 to 1999. He was awarded the PDK Service Key in 1985 and was recognized by the PDK Founders' Society in 1987. He was a member of the University of Iowa Presidents' Club and the Eastern Illinois University Presidents' Club.

Mr. Austin was actively involved in many community organizations. His service included Fort Armstrong Area Council, Boys Scouts; Rock Island Youth Guidance Council; Rock Island Safety Council; Citizens' Advisory Committee to Juvenile Court; past president of Namequa Lodge Board (a facility for dependent and delinquent girls); River Bend Library Board, treasurer; Rock Island Library Board, 24 years, twice president; Rock Island Clean and Beautiful; Rock Island Chamber of Commerce; American Cancer Society, 21 years (he organized the Rock Island Chapter of the American Cancer Society); American Heart Society, 19 years; American Red Cross, 44 years (treasurer, designated as honorary life member of the board of directors, 1998); Citizens for Good Government; United Way volunteer, 15 years, and past chair of Individual Gifts Committee; and YWCA Advisory Board, 12 years.

Charlie Austin devoted countless hours to Rotary. He joined Rotary in 1947 in Clarion, Iowa. He was a Paul Harris Fellow in 1973; received the Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service in 1974; served as governor of Rotary District 642 from 1976 to 1977; received the Rock Island Rotary Service Above Self award in 1977; received the Rotary Foundation Distinguished Service Award for 1977-78, the Rock Island Community Service Award in 1984, the Rotary District 642 Service Award in 1984, and the Rock Island Rotary A.T. Peara Award in 1985; was recognized as Benefactor of Rotary Foundation in 1989; and received the 50-year Perfect Attendance Award in 1999.

Charles Austin received Illinois Association of School Administrators Presidential Citations in 1973 and 1975. He was recognized with the DeMolay Legion of Merit in 1981. He was Rock Island Mardi Gras King in 1984; received the Illinois Quad-City Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Service as a Volunteer award in 1985; was recognized by Eastern Illinois University Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1986, and was named Rock Island Citizen of the Year in 1989.

The Rock Island/Milan School Board in 1998 created the Charles O. Austin Scholar Recognition Award to recognize outstanding academic achievement of graduates of Rock Island High School.

He was a member of Broadway Presbyterian Church, Rock Island, where he served as elder, deacon and trustee.

He was a World War II Army veteran.

Survivors include sons and a daughter-in-law, Charles O. Austin III and Ann Austin, Rock Island, and Stephen J. Austin, Chicago; and grandchildren, Julie Austin and John Austin, both of Rock Island.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Dorothy C. Austin, in infancy; and a twin brother, Jack Austin, in 1978.

Dispatch-Argus --- Moline, Illinois
October 30, 1999