from the February issue of The Country Chronicle
Dorchester, NH–Frank M. Austin, 66, died Wednesday, Feb. 14, 1996 at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Ctr. in Lebanon, NH following a long illness. He was born in Grafton, NH Dec. 25, 1929, the son of the late Valentine M. & Mabel L. (Sargent) Austin. An Upper Valley resident for all of his life, he was a self-employed building contractor for many years and assisted many area residents build homes or make repairs. He had been employed as a maintenance foreman for International Packing Corp. for several years. He was later employed for many years as a master repairman for Cone Automatic (now known as Cone Blanchard) in Windsor, VT. Mr. Austin was a dowser and had successfully found over 200 wells without a single dry one. He was a lifelong beekeeper and had used his bees in the treatment of his arthritis. He loved hunting and had raised 27 champion coon-dogs. He was an avid golfer and had shot a hole in one on Sept. 11, 1991 in Meredith, NH. Frank attended the Canaan Assembly of God Church in Canaan, NH. He will be remembered by many as a very giving person who would donate his time and his abilities in building construction to the benefit of those in need.
Friends called at the Ricker Funeral Home in Enfield on Friday evening from 7-9 p.m. Funeral services were conducted Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. in the Canaan Assembly of God Church in Canaan, NH. Burial will be in the spring in the Grafton Center Cemetery.
Survivors include: his wife, Sylvia Mae (Young) Austin of Dorchester; many nieces, nephews and cousins.
The family requested that in lieu of flowers memorial contributions be made for the purchase of choir robes to the Canaan Assembly of God Church, PO Box 265, Canaan, NH 03741.