Patricia Austin, 78
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Patricia Austin, 78, of 248 White Oaks Road died peacefully Tuesday, July 5, 2011, at her home.
Born in North Adams on March 10, 1933, a daughter of Hart and Catherine Murphy Rice, she graduated from the former Williamstown High School with the class of 1951 and from Holyoke Hospital Nursing School in 1954.
Mrs. Austin was employed as a registered nurse for 32 years, first at North Adams Regional Hospital and then at Williams College, from which she retired in 1997.
She was a 50-year member of the former First United Methodist Church and actively participated in many of the church's activities, including teaching Sunday school, serving as treasurer and volunteering for Church World Service. She was a former Girl Scout leader and was director of Camp Muriel Flagg.
She and her husband, Alfred A. Austin, were married in Williamstown on July 31, 1954.
Besides her husband, she leaves three daughters, Sandra Rich and Marcia Tessier and her husband, Alan, all of Williamstown, and Laura Feathers and her husband, Scott, of Pownal, Vt.; two sons, Alfred Austin and his wife, Karen, of Norwich, N.Y., and Mark Austin and his wife, Peggy, of Watervliet, N.Y.; four sisters, Nancy Bassi and Dorothy Rice, both of Adams, Kathy Rogers of Rockport, Texas, and Virginia Farmer of Casselberry, Fla.; two brothers, Thomas Rice of Mesa, Texas, and William Rice of Lee, 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her two sisters and two brothers, Margaret Bowes, Mary Baker, John Rice and Hart Rice.
FUNERAL NOTICE — A celebration of Mrs. Austin's life will be held Sunday, Aug. 14, at 2 p.m. at the Williams Inn in Williamstown. Memorial donations are suggested Partners in Health through Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals, West Chapels, 521 West Main St., North Adams, MA 01247.