Obituary of Floyd L. Austin

Floyd L. Austin South Plainfield, NJ - Floyd L. Austin, Jr., 92, died on Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at JFK Medical Center in Edison. Born in South Plainfield on May 14, 1918 to Floyd L. Austin and Daisy Staton he was a life long resident of the community. In 1979, he retired after forty years as a locomotive engineer out of the South Plainfield location of the Leigh Valley Rail Road, which later became Conrail. Floyd was honorably discharged from the United States Army after serving during WWII. He had been stationed in the European Theater and saw battle action in the Battle of the Bulge while he was attached to the 661st Tank Division. He was a life member of the VFW Memorial Post 6763 in South Plainfield, where he had been the former post service officer. Floyd also was a member of the American Legion Chaumont Post 243 in South Plainfield and of the Sons of Union Veterans. In addition, he was a life time member of the First Baptist Church of South Plainfield and a 32nd degree member of the Jerusalem Lodge 26 of the Free and Accepted Masons in Plainfield. Floyd was a Charter and Life Member of the South Plainfield Rescue Squad. He was predeceased by his sister Louise Apgar and by his brothers Edward and Donald "Doc" Austin. Surviving are his daughter and son-in-law: Judith and Ron Beekman, of Spokane, WA and by his son and daughter-in-law Floyd "Butch" and Mary Jane Austin, III, of Broadheadsville, PA, and by his sister Jacqueline Buckelew of South Plainfield and his 5 grandchildren: Judith, John, Shannon, Ron and Greg. Funeral services were private under the direction of the McCriskin-Gustafson Home for Funerals, 2425 Plainfield Ave., South Plainfield, NJ 07080. A Memorial service reflecting on Floyd's life will be held at a later date.