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Long time co-owner of Austin & Barnes Funeral Home passes

Last Updated on August 25, 2022 2:48 am

Carolyn Austin, the long time co-owner of Austin & Barnes Funeral Home, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 86.

Mrs. Austin was a Watauga County native, a long time member of First Baptist Church in Boone where she taught Sunday School and served on various committees. She also worked at Appalachian Elementary School and Hardin Park Elementary School for over 30 years.

In 1975 Carolyn and her husband Johnnie, who passed away in 2002, purchased Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Directors of Boone, which would later be renamed Austin & Barnes Funeral Home.

Funeral services for Mrs. Carolyn Greene Austin will be conducted Friday morning, August 26, 2022 at 11 am at the First Baptist Church. Officiating will be Rev. Roy Dobyns, Rev. Mike Townsend and Rev. Gerald Hodges. The family will receive friends following the service until 3 PM at the church, and encourage the wearing of masks.


Obituary of Carolyn Greene Austin

Mrs. Carolyn Greene Austin, age 86, of Boone, passed away peacefully Tuesday, August 23, 2022 at her home with her loved ones by her side. Born February 22, 1936, in Watauga County, she was the daughter of the late Judson Moore Greene and Nancy Ann Greene. Carolyn was a long time member of the First Baptist Church in Boone where she previously taught Sunday School and served on various committees. She worked at Appalachian Elementary School and Hardin Park Elementary School for over 30 years. In 1975 Johnnie and Carolyn purchased Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Directors of Boone. There she continued to minister to families in the High Country.

She is survived by her children, Nancy Clayton and husband William of Winston-Salem, Doug Austin & wife Paula of Topsail Beach, and Mike Austin and wife Kristal of Boone, four grandchildren, Rachel Ayer and husband Anthony of Durham, Matthew Austin and fiancé Lindsey Norris of Knightdale, Katy Hopkins and Shafer Brown of Asheville, and Karen Hopkins and Henry Grimm of Ft. Collins, CO, one sister, Bonita Stewart of Wilkesboro.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Johnnie Austin and 11 siblings.

Funeral services for Mrs. Carolyn Greene Austin will be conducted Friday morning, August 26, 2022 at 11 am at the First Baptist Church. Officiating will be Rev. Roy Dobyns, Rev. Mike Townsend and Rev. Gerald Hodges. The family will receive friends following the service until 3 PM at the church, and encourage the wearing of masks.

Graveside services and burial will be private.

Carolyn will lie in repose Thursday from noon until 5 pm at Austin & Barnes Funeral Home for those who wish to pay their respects and sign the register book.

The family would like to thank their incredible caregivers who have enriched Carolyn's life over the last several months with their constant love and affection. We would also like to express our appreciation for Amorem, for their care for our mother.

The family respectfully requests no food or flowers. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, 375 West King Street, Boone, NC 28607, or to Amorem Hospice, 902 Kirkwood Street NW, Lenoir, NC 28645.

Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.austinandbarnesfuneralhome.com Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the Austin family.

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