Howell O. Austin
Posted: January 11, 2019
Howell O. Austin passed away peacefully at his residence in Columbus on Dec. 12, 2018. A memorial service will be held in his honor at First Presbyterian Church on Bluecutt Road at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 12, 2019. Mr. Austin was born in Calhoun Couty, Alabama, to the late Riley and Berdie Austin. The first of four children, Howell began working as a child to help provide for his family during the depression years, by taking food by cart to the Armory in Anniston, Alabama. At the age of 16, he bought the first family car, attending high school in the daytime and working nights for J.I. Chase. He later married and moved to Orlando, Florida, to work for the government, where he made improvements to shells and equipment for the Army. After moving to Columbus, Mississippi, he became plant manager for American Bosch, later named United Technologies. He made thousands of improvements to parts and machines, retiring after 37 years. Howell was a mason and a Shriner, and took crippled children to the Shriners Hospital in Shreveport, Lousiana. He was a man of brilliance, integrity and honesty. He loved hunting, helping others and the Alabama Crimson Tide. He especially loved his wife, Mildred, above all. He is survived by his wife, Mildred Austin, as well as, his son, Tony and his daughters, Jane Harmon (Dennis) and Sami Austin of Columbus. He has one grandson, Riley Austin (Ashley) of Northport, AL, and four great-grandchildren. He is dearly missed by his family, along with many relatives, neices and nephews and family friends. Roe Callaway and Ron Delgado will be officiating the service. Donations in his memory may be sent to the Shriners Hospital for Children.