Obituary of Glenn Edward Austin

Glenn Edward Austin was born September 5th, 1950 to Cal and Elaine Austin in Mitchell, South Dakota. The Austin family moved to the Tacoma Area when Glenn was barely 9 weeks old. The beautiful Pacific Northwest became their life long home. Glenn became a Sea Cadet during his high school years, which would become a stepping stone for his proud service to this Country when he joined the Navy in 1969 and served aboard the USS Kitty Hawk as a Machinist Repairmen. During High School he met a beautiful young lady who agreed to be his Square Dance partner. Little did they know that ‘Square Dance Partner’ would become a ‘Life Long Marriage Partner’. Their first date was January 25th, 1967 and they married 4 years later on July 17th, 1971. Glenn, a true romantic under that jester exterior, orchestrated (with the help of a dear family friend) a surprise 40th Wedding Anniversary Celebration for Marianne this past July. After Glenn left his Naval Service, he attended Bates Vocational Tech, worked for a time at Nalley’s, and found his true career calling in the Alarm Security Field where he worked for Mosler Safe for 16 years. In 1985 he went to work for ADT Security where he spent the last 26 years. Glenn was awarded the National Club Excellence Award for 7years in a row. One of Glenn’s most joyous moments was October 25th 1983 when he became a father. Garth Edward Austin was born and this tiny bundle of blue was placed in the waiting arms and open hearts and surrounded in the love Glenn and Marianne had been storing up for him. Glenn & Marianne lived, breathed and prayed 1 Sam 1:27 and on this fall day in October were finally able to give thanks for the fruition of this verse: “For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him” Garth filled Glenn’s life with love, pride and has been the son of his heart’s desire. Glenn’s heart was truly a Heart of Service. After leaving the Navy as well as being a newly wed he was also deeply involved in: •The Boy Scout Program, where among many activities taught the Order of the Arrow •FFA (Future Farmers of America) he served as an Advisor, spending many hours with young people and their animals, helping them to prepare and transport their animals for shows, fairs and various other activities. •Big Brothers (Big Sisters) Program where he was awarded Big Brother of the Year. Through this Big Brother Program, young Bill (then fondly known as ‘Billy’) Gustafson found his way into Glenn’s life as a small boy in need of a male role model and friend. He immediately worked his way into the joined hearts and family life of Glenn and Marianne. Glenn did not take this commitment lightly, nor did he give himself and his family to this young rambunctious boy for a short season, as we sometime see mentors come and go. This relationship season has been life long and became much deeper than simply a ‘big brother’ mentor, it resembled more of that of a Father-Son relationship that grew right along with them into a strong friendship bond that remains to this day. Glenn had a way of turning his Hobbies and activities he and his family enjoyed into areas of Ministry as well, which just remained a reflection of his true heart. Not necessarily in order, some of the other areas of ministry and hobbies were: ?Trout Unlimited where he exposed many young people to the “Get Hooked on Fishing, Not Drugs!” program. ?Trout Pond Ministry organized by Glenn and hosted by Bethany Open Bible for 7 years. ?Tacoma Poggie Fishing Club through which he participated in the Kid’s Fishing Derby. ?Street Ministry involvement for many years, feeding and clothing and ministering to the Homeless. For a couple of years he cooked 22 turkeys ‘under the bridge’ to serve Thanksgiving Dinner to those who knew no other Thanksgiving dinner. ?Hospital Visitation with Pastor Doug (Trentham ). All who knew Glenn knew he had a God given gift of ‘gab’ and no one remained a ‘stranger’ to Glenn for long. ?Bethany Open Bible Musical and Play Ministry where many a year Glenn would carry the Cross or the Banners in the Easter and Christmas Pageants. One year in particular he agreed to be ‘Thomas’ the disciple in the Easter production and found himself agreeing to wearing a ‘skirt’ instead of memorizing and speaking his lines. We loved those legs! ?His Gentlemen’s Farm on Waller Road brought many years of enjoyment that sometimes did not out weigh the hard work and responsibilities. He loved old farm tractors and working on them. He loved animals and they played a large role in Glenn’s life. You could hear him say that ‘he could always work his way through a mean dog’. ?Speaking of Dogs, we would be amiss if we did not mention his beloved Baby Girl ‘Lillie’ his Boston Terrier and to some of us known as his Boston Terror! These few pounds with four legs was his constant companion and protector and she shared Glenn sparingly with Gracie and Sam, his two other four legged friends on a Lillie approved basis. ?Glenn enjoyed the outdoors and involved his family and many a friend in his love of Camping, Fishing, Clamming and digging Oysters. In the more recent 7 to 8 years, he found a new ‘love’, that of Kiting. Kiting was not only something he loved, it was often a ministry. Glenn & Marianne’s Kiting color theme is Red, White and Blue, the colors of our great country and a reminder that ‘IN GOD WE TRUST ‘. Their Kiting activity and events were often used to reach others with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Glenn loved sharing his kiting adventures, inviting others to join them at the beach, teaching the art of flying and making kites. He was involved in a program for children called Kites Alive and hosted this youth ministry as a weekend event at the beach that involved teaching them to make and fly kites followed with a bon fire on the beach and a time of Praise and Worship with a Sunday service the following morning. Glenn’s collection of Kite Pins was a source of joy and many hours of enjoyment and sharing. ?In November of 2009 a new ministry was to be introduced into Glenn’s life. Not one of his choice, but one, true to his nature, his journey with cancer was used to minister to others while he was being ministered to. Many thanks to his team of doctors, nurses, office staff, surgeons, radiologists at the Cancer Center. In the midst of it all and true to the end, he kept his always joking, sometimes a prankster, and giving attitude. He kept his ‘half beard’ which became a statement of sorts, he was lovingly known as ‘The Goof’ by the office staff and NEVER failed to bring Chocolates at every appointment for the staff to enjoy. In looking back, Marianne has wondered if she might have been wise to have invested in some kind of stock options in the Chocolate industry. Dr. Bitner was often a recipient of a box of chocolates. Glenn had this idea that if Dr. Bitner indulged in more chocolate eating, he might grow outwards and be a little less noticeable in his smaller stature of height. There were also the office staff who gratefully thanked Glenn for passing out and taking a nose dive in the elevator in front of their office, just so she could enjoy the incredibly handsome and buff Puyallup Firemen and EMT’s who responded! As we celebrate Glenn’s life, the son, the husband, the father, the friend, the mentor, the employee, the Child of God he was, our greatest Celebration is that of his knowledge, commitment and the giving of his heart to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the fall of 1986. He first responded to the pull of the Holy Spirit and surrendered his heart at message and altar call given at the World’s Fair in Vancouver, Canada. It is with this knowledge that we pause in our grief to give thanks to God for His unconditional love and mercy and rest in the days to come when the waves of grief seem to overwhelm us, that Glenn rests now in the arms if our Lord, healed, whole, free of pain and sorrow. And if we know Glenn, he’s not ‘resting’ but he is flying the most awesome Red, White and Blue kite, which surpasses in beauty and grace any kite made and flown down here where his family and friend abide, awaiting the time we might join him in a more glorious place.