Richard "Dick" Austin

Richard "Dick" Austin, 78, of Morganton died Monday, April 8, 2013. He was born in Burke County on February 10, 1935 and was a son of the late Hubert William Austin and Mary Swanson Austin. Dick was a retired police officer from the Morganton Department of Public Safety and served with the Army National Guard. He was a member of Asheville Street Baptist Church and enjoyed Gospel music, singing, and traveling.Dick is survived by his wife, Ruby Phillips Austin; sons and their wives, Richard "Allen" and Reneé Austin and Mark and Carol Austin; grandchildren, Michael Austin and his wife, Amber, Josh Austin, and Tiffany Austin; and a great-grandchild, Ian Austin, all of Morganton; his brother, Sherrill Austin and his wife, Brenda of South Carolina; and two nieces.Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, 2013 at Asheville Street Baptist Church with Rev. Doug Goforth officiating. Burial will follow at Burke Memorial Park with military honors by the NC National Guard and the Caldwell County Veterans Honor Guard. The family will receive friends from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m. Wednesday at the church. Memorial contributions may be made in Dick’s honor to Asheville Street Baptist Church, 119 Asheville St., Morganton, NC 28655 or to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Rd., Valdese, NC 28690. Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting with arrangements.