Michael Glenn Austin

September 6, 1953 - July 7, 2015

Michael Glenn Austin, age 61, of Lynchburg passed from this life on Tuesday, July 7, 2015 at Harton Regional Medical Center. He was the son of the late Thurman and Bessie Louise (Foster) Austin of Lynchburg. Mike was a faithful and loving husband, father, Papa/Pa, son, brother, uncle, and friend. He was a retired member of the United States Army National Guard. He enjoyed spending time with his family, and they were his pride and joy. He also enjoyed Vanderbilt Commodore athletics, farming, and being on the sidelines on Friday nights as the statistician for the Moore County Raider football team coached by his son. Mike enjoyed many years as a youth girls’ softball coach and had lots of fun playing the sport himself. He was loved by all who knew him and valued the relationships that God brought into his life. Mike was a devoted friend—he understood and valued the importance of friendship and had a unique way of making everyone he met feel like they mattered. Many of his friendships have stood the test of time and go back to elementary school days. He was a faithful member of Hilltop Church of the Nazarene where he had served as a member of the church board as well as Sunday School Superintendent. His life as a follower of Christ made a marked difference in the way he led his family and interacted with everyone he met. Mike lived a life of integrity in the workplace, in his home, and in his community. He lived every day to the fullest despite a twenty year battle with heart disease and left an incredible legacy of faith and the value of family for his children and grandchildren. “He fought the good fight. He has finished the course, he has kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7) Michael is survived by his wife of 44 years Dorothy Charlene (Boswell), his daughter Jennifer Ray and husband Jason of Tullahoma, and his son Jeremy and wife Callie also of Tullahoma. He has four grandchildren: Carrington, Anna Claire, Colson, and Slade. His grandchildren were the source of his daily joy and his reason for living. Anyone who met him knew that his grandchildren mattered MOST. He was preceded in death by two brothers Harlan and Gerald and one sister Sarah Louise Gannon and is survived by one brother Norman. He is also survived by his best friend of over fifty years, Billy Dodson of Sparta and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins, in-laws, and friends.