Bennie Austin

Bennie Austin Mr. Bennie Bedford Austin, 86, resident of Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport, Mississippi, died Tuesday, February 24, 2004 at Gulfport Memorial Hospital in Harrison County, Mississippi. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Rev. David McGregor and Rev. Jimmy Horton officiating. Burial will be in Polk Memorial Gardens with military honors provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. The family will visit with friends Friday from 5 - 8p.m. at the funeral home. Notes of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.oakesandnichols.com. The Hardin County, Tennessee native was the son of the late Roe Austin and Tennie Qualls Austin. On December 20, 1953 he married Nannie Rieves Austin who preceded him in death June 1, 1992. Mr. Austin lived most of his life in Murfreesboro and was a member of the Methodist Church. He served in the United States Army during World War II then joined the U.S. Air Force in 1947. Following his retirement from the Air Force in 1962 he worked with the fire department at the V.A. Hospital in Murfreesboro until 1979. He was a member of the American Legion. Survivors include one daughter, Elizabeth "Beth" Austin (Glen) Blasdel of Pahrump, Nevada; one son, Brad (Karon) Austin of Beaver Creek, Colorado; former daughter-in-law, Connie Austin of Ft. Collins, Colorado; two grandchildren, Jessica Austin and Matthew Austin both of Ft. Collins, Colorado; three sisters-in-law, Mrs. Irene (Ray Thomas) Brown, Mrs. Sarah (Cecil) Duncan both of Columbia and Christine Woods of Kingston; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by one brother, Berlon Austin and two sisters, Lou Thelma Horton and Annie Mae Seaton. Pallbearers will be E.J. Franks, Jerry Hardison, Matthew Austin, Ray Brown, Cecil Duncan, Tommy Duncan, Ronnie Woody and J.T. Woods. Honorary pallbearers will be nephews and great-nephews.