Obituary of Doris Evelyn Austin

Doris (Dody) Evelyn Austin, was born in Tacoma on July 5, 1926, to Evelyn Mary and Clyde William Nelson just before the beginning of the Great Depression. She was truly a product of that difficult era which she (with her parents) weathered from age four to fourteen years. Dody was an exceptionally bright and active girl doing well in studies, well in athletics, and becoming a high school cheerleader and lifeguard. Without question, she qualified as a true “bobby- soxer” who knew and danced all the moves of “Boogie Woogie.” Dody had a younger brother, “Richie” born ten years after her for whom she assumed two rolls, she was his older sister, but in many ways she played the part of a mother who was “connected to the modern world.” After graduating from Stadium High School she enrolled in Washington State College (now WSU), a remarkable achievement at that time for a girl with very limited resources. While a WSC student, she met and later married John Vesper Austin who graduated as an architect. She and John had two children, Randi and Lindsay. Although Dody opted for being a stay-at-home mom, she was very active in helping her husband establish a successful architectural firm in Parkland, where they built from scratch a beautiful northwest modern home. She was also active as a Sunday school teacher for kids at Lake City Community Church including opening her home for Vacation Bible School for the neighborhood kids. Dody was involved in an Orthopedic Guild which raised financial support for children at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital. She belonged to a weavers group and a garden club making life long friendships. When time permitted, Dody and John traveled to Hawaii to visit friends, and Europe to visit where he fought in WWll, a time when foreign travel was far less common than it is today. John passed away on New Years Eve 2010. Dody continued to live in their Parkland home until 2022 when she moved to Randi’s home near Eatonville. Dody passed away at 96 years of age on Christmas Eve 2022. She is survived by her daughter Randi and her husband Steve and her grandchildren Ruth, Anna, Martin, Kandis, Margaret, Rebekah, Sam, and great grandchildren Kaylee, Benjamin, Lucas, John lll, Isaac, Faith, Isaiah, Olivia, Andy, Reilly, and Elias. Also, she is survived by her son Lindsay and his wife Heidi of Benton City, and her grandchildren Laura and Jill and great grandchildren Evelyn, Margot, Soren and Roman. Also, her brother Richard Nelson of Seattle. They and her many friends will miss her dearly.