James William Austin Sr.
Born on February 29, 1928 in Rockingham VTPassed February 6, 2025 in Rockledge, Florida
Born February 29, 1928 in Rockingham VT to Helen Ruby Cooke and William Henry Austin. James grew up in Vermont with his mother, his step father and his sister, Ann Prentice as his father passed away just before he was born. He was a very protective and loving husband, son, brother and father.
James tried to join the military at a young age but wasn’t able to get in until January 1946 when he was 17 enlisting in the Army Air Corps. After basic training he was sent to Boca Raton, Florida for tech school for ground radar systems and also became an instructor at the radar school. After Tech school he was sent to Japan for the occupation and worked on radar systems until his honorable discharge where he earned the WW2 Victory Medal and Army of Occupation Japan Citation.
Once James finished his time in the Army Air Corps, he returned to Vermont and Married his high school sweetheart, Mary Ann Cheney and together they started their family in Vermont. From Vermont, they moved to Long Island NY and Syracuse NY then in 1959 in they moved to Safety Harbor, Florida and then their final home in Melbourne Beach Florida in 1965. They raised 10 children together before Mary Ann passed away in 1997 from Cancer.
James worked in the radar field as a Microwave Engineer after the military and at times held 2 full time jobs to take care of his family while Mary Ann stayed home to take care of the children and the homestead. In 1971, James started JW Austin Industries from the house before moving to a building in Indian Harbor Beach and then to West Melbourne. At one time or another, all of the family worked at the business that made products for the Semiconductor industry, Chemical Plating Industry and Recreational industries and is still in business today. In fact, Jim worked on lathes, milling machines and table saw up until he was 94 years old. It was in New York where James and Mary Ann got into boating and water skiing and spent a lot of time with the family on the water. When they moved to Florida, they continued their passion of taking the family boating and fishing which we all still enjoy today. James stayed in their Melbourne Beach home until he passed away February 6, 2025.
James is survived by 9 of his Children with the youngest William Austin and his 2 children, Glyn and his wife Maureen Austin, their 2 children and 2 grandchildren, Stephen and his Wife Carlene Austin, 2 of their 3 children and 7 grandchildren, Kent and his wife Teresa Austin and one child and 2 grandchildren, Lucille Murphy and her husband Michael and their 3 children and 5 grandchildren, Mary Paine and her husband, Bill and 2 of their 3 children and 4 grandchildren, Peggy Webb and her 3 children and 4 grandchildren, Robert Austin and his 6 children and 15 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren, James W Austin Jr and his wife Cheryl and their 2 children and 4 grandchildren, 7 of 8 of his oldest deceased daughter Susan’s children, 29 grandchildren and 32 great grandchildren and his sister Ann Prentice and 2 of her 4 children.
