William "Bill" Austin

William “Bill” Austin, age 81, of Barnesville, MN died on Monday, June 3, 2024 at the Veterans Hospital, in Fargo, ND.  

Funeral services will be 11:00 AM, Saturday, June 8, 2024 at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Barnesville with Rev. Ali Haugerud officiating.  Burial will follow in Elkton Cemetery, rural Downer, MN with military honors provided by the Barnesville Honor Guard, American Legion and VFW posts of Barnesville.  

Visitation will be from 5-8 PM, Friday, June 7, 2024 at Dobmeier Funeral Home in Barnesville with a Prayer Service at 7:00 PM.  Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the funeral service at the church on Saturday.  

William Alan Austin was born on January 13, 1943, to Wallace and Helen (Pender) Austin in Barnesville, MN. He grew up on the family farm and attended Atkinson Elementary School in Barnesville and high school at Northwest School of Agriculture in Crookston. Bill earned a B.S. in Agriculture at NDSU where he was active in the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and the ROTC.

Bill went into the Army as an officer at age twenty-three. He trained and served with the 11th Armored Calvary (Blackhorse Regiment) and fought in Vietnam from August 1966 to July 1967. He was a life member in the American Legion and VFW. God, country, family, and freedom remained constant in his life, and his legacy.

Bill was united in marriage to Elaine Kupitz on September 4, 1965, at Immanuel Lutheran in Stirum, ND. They farmed and raised their family on their homestead outside of Barnesville, MN, which they bought sight-unseen when he was in Vietnam. They farmed until 1998 and moved from the farmstead to Barnesville in 2018.  For several years they were able to winter in Texas.  

In addition to farming, Bill was a devoted member of his community. He was active in the American Legion and Our Saviors Lutheran Church. He enjoyed volunteering, golfing, ice fishing, bocce ball, and he loved playing baseball. He served on numerous boards that supported his community.  

Bill is survived by his wife, Elaine Austin of Barnesville; three children: Dawn (Chris) D’Alessandro of Bemidji, MN; Paul Austin of Barnesville, MN; Karen (Scott) Whitten of Bozeman, MT; 4 grandchildren: Austin (Ashelyn) Larson, Tristan Larson, Madisson Larson, and Kai Whitten. He is also survived by his sisters Margaret Mead, Nancy Grout, and Genevieve Austin; and other cherished relatives and friends. 

He was proceeded in death by his parents and his sister Kathleen Janssen.