Eddie Douglas "Doug" Austin, Sr.

Eddie Douglas Austin, Sr. ("Doug") has received his wings. A resident of Louisiana, Texas and Missouri, Mr. Austin died in his Lake Charles residence on Tuesday, December 3, 2013. He will be missed by his family and all who knew him. Mr. Austin was born on August 25, 1931 in DeRidder, LA. He and his family moved to Lake Charles in the early 1950's when Mr. Austin took a job at CitCon. He was a highly motivated entrepreneur beginning at an early age. Mr. Austin owned and operated a successful construction business building homes in several Lake Charles neighborhoods including Oak Park. He built and operated one of Lake Charles' first luxury apartment complexes, the Austin Arms, in 1963. He "retired" in 1966 at the age of 35, but he never stopped working. A few years after retiring from the construction business, he began a second career in the life insurance industry where he earned his company's top national sales award for two consecutive years. He entered permanent retirement at the age of 42. Mr. Austin was an avid motor home enthusiast for over 45 years. He traveled extensively, and managed to visit every state in the continental United States in his motor homes (He made it to Alaska and Hawaii, too, but he had to leave his motor home behind on those trips). The adventures were numerous, and he made many friends across the USA during his travels. Mr. Austin was a charter member of the "Cruisin Cajuns" and the "Texas Outlaws" motor home travel clubs. He was recently honored at a "Cruisin Cajuns" motor home rally as the last surviving member of the original 100 founders of the Club. Mr. Austin was also a founding member and former President of the Lake Charles Buccaneers, and participated in the organization and formation of what was to become Contraband Days. Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Charlene Ware Austin of Lake Charles; sons, Eddie Douglas Austin, Jr and his wife Carolyn (Price), of Houston, TX and Robbie Joe Austin and his wife Liz (Lee), of Lake Charles; grandchildren Robbie Paul Douglas Austin and his wife, Nicole, Kellie Rae Austin and her husband, James, Andrew Joseph Austin, Scott Austin and his wife Holly, Lisa Austin Seymour and her husband, Tony, and LeighAnn Austin Charles and her husband, Anthony; great grandchildren Aiden, Austin, Ellie, Emma, Addison, Bayleigh, Noah, Ian, Emma, Kaia, Asha and Jonah. Mr. Austin's extended family includes Brian and Natalie Barrilleaux and their children, Jailyn and Brayden; Matthew Bryant; Grant and Eva Price and their children, Blake, Brooke, and Brittani Stine and her husband Ben; John and Karen Cardone, Jr. and their children John III, Kristen and Kathryn; Leon and Robin Prejean and their children Danielle Clarke and her husband Fred, Zachary, Justin Fontenot and Garrett Fontenot; and five great grandchildren of Charlene. He loved them all. Mr. Austin was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years and the mother of his children, Louise "LuLu" Austin; his parents Eddie Erastus Austin and Bertha Cooley Austin; sisters Thelma Johnson, Lexie Nichols, Lucille Stracener Loftin and Elva Chelette; brother Everett "Red" Austin; grandson Jon Brandon Austin. A celebration of his life will be held at 4:00 PM on Thursday, December 5, 2013 in the Johnson Funeral Home Chapel. The Rev. Keith Pellerin will officiate. Visitation will be held on Wednesday from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM and will continue on Thursday from 2:00 PM until the start of the service.