Eva "Marie" Austin

Marie Austin, 83, was welcomed into the loving arms of Jesus on Thursday, March 28, 2013. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at Hamilton’s Southtown Funeral Home, 5400 SW 9th Street with burial following at Glendale Cemetery. A visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, April 1, at the funeral home.

Marie was born December 9, 1929 in Des Moines to Earl and Eva Wyckoff. Marie loved the Lord and Music from an early age. She was Saved and Baptized on August 12, 1946, and coincidentally was married to Chuck on August 12, 1954. She started singing with Arthur Veach and his chord organ, on street corners, at the City Jail and at the old Gospel Tabernacle and Grace Baptist Church when very young. While living in Coon Rapids, MN in 1962, she started a Community Chorus.

After returning to Des Moines in 1975, she directed the Southtown Pentecostal Assembly Church Choir for 25 years which sang at several outside events, directed the Easter and Christmas musicals, the Children’s Choir for VBS, Church Camp and Holiday sings.

She formed a women’s monthly prayer group “Women for the Lord” and held monthly meetings, with outside speakers at Bishops and Village Inn on Army Post Road, until suffering a heart breaking stroke in 1999.


Marie is survived by her husband of 58 years, Rev. Chuck Austin; daughters, Vickie (Bill) Aasland, Melody (Kevin) Livengood, Leslie Myers, Linda (Ben) Patrick; son, Rev. Mark (Patty) Austin; eighteen grandchildren; twenty-six great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren and sister, Jean LeDent. She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Phyllis Stutes; brothers, Fran, Paul and Don Wyckoff and sisters, Virginia Evans and Joan Frederick.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to local charities such as the Variety Club, Younkers Tea Room, and Gideons will be directed by the family.

Online condolences may be sent to www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

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