Julia Mae "Judy"Autin (nee Jones)

Julia Mae “Judy” Austin (nèe Jones) went home to the Lord on March 25, 2026, after 102 years of serving as a strong example of faith and love for her family and community. Julia’s life was guided by her faith, and when asked in recent years how she managed to become a centenarian she replied, “I talked to God, and I listened.”

Born on February 19, 1924, in New Waverly, Texas, to Lola and Frank Jones, Julia was one of six children. Her early years were spent on the family farm and were made challenging by the loss of her father when she was still a young child. Throughout her life she would mention the sadness she felt at having lost her father so young. She and her siblings were close and worked with her mother to care for one another and their home. Though life was generally quiet for Julia and her siblings in New Waverly, they did have a brief encounter with outlaws Bonnie and Clyde. Julia indicated they only learned later about the notoriety of the man and woman they met that day. Once she reached adulthood, Julia attended secretarial school and worked in downtown Houston. It was during this time that one of her good friends introduced her to her future husband, Sonny Austin.

Julia and Sonny would wait to marry until his return from World War II. They corresponded during his service until Sonny’s plane went down and he was declared missing in action for a 6-month period, followed by a 12-month internment in Siberia. During this time, Julia leaned on her faith and stated she always knew Sonny would come back. Once he returned, they married and settled in Eagle Lake. According to Julia, she had no idea she had married “the wildest boy in town” when she committed to Sonny; however, they had many fun and happy years together.

In Eagle Lake, Julia stayed home and raised their three children (David, Gail, and Pam) while Sonny ran Austin’s Grocery with his brothers. Eventually, Julia felt called to share her faith with the community and this began a lengthy relationship with Iglesia Bautista Getsemani in Eagle Lake. She led Sunday school classes for children and hosted summer vacation bible school. Julia greatly appreciated the community she helped create at the church. Inspired by events in her childhood, Julia’s heart led her to establish a free preschool in Eagle Lake that would admit all children, regardless of race. She and Sonny bought and updated a house to serve as the free preschool, and Julia enjoyed teaching the children that attended. Eventually, the First Baptist Church of Eagle Lake allowed Julia to relocate the preschool and its students to the church.

After becoming “Mamaw,” she and Sonny rarely vacationed again without their grandchildren (and sometimes, their grandchildren’s friends). Annual trips included the Great Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee; the beaches of South Padre Island, Texas; and road trips from Texas to Wyoming. While Sonny greatly enjoyed the many antics of his grandchildren on these trips, Julia made sure everyone stayed safe, wore sunscreen, and was well fed.

Julia’s wonderful cooking was greatly appreciated and celebrated by her family. She made sure to cook the known favorites of each grand and great grandchild whenever they visited. Her recipes were so cherished by her family that they inspired the creation of a family cookbook so they could all be captured in one place. Julia's sausage rolls, made with sausage from Austin's Grocery (and later, Austin’s Barbeque) and her own bread recipe, was her signature dish and she continued to make them into her early nineties.

Julia was compassionate, attentive to those around her, unexpectedly funny, and moved through life with grace. She enjoyed reading, particularly nonfiction and historical accounts, always wanted to hear about new recipe attempts by her grandchildren, and enjoyed learning about the many visitors who entered her home over the years. Throughout their lives, her children and grandchildren always felt protected and supported by the many prayers they knew Mamaw Austin said for them. She was a steady presence in their lives and will be deeply missed.

Having lived so many years, Julia said goodbye to numerous loved ones. This includes her husband, Carl W. “Sonny” Austin; son, David Austin; grandson, Dustin Hengst; parents, Frank and Lola Jones; sister, Carmen Jones; brother, Arlen Jones; brother, Marion Jones, and his wife Pauline; sister, Lillian Ballard, and her husband Bill; sister, Faye Purcell, and her husband Jerry; sister-in-law, Erline Listowski; sister-in-law, Dorothy Austin; brother-in-law, Larry Austin, and his wife Carolyn; former sister-in-law, Barbara Austin; brother-in-law, Kenny Austin, and his wife Gladys; and sister-in-law, Joann Austin.

Those who will miss Julia until they see her again include her daughters, Gail Austin and Pam Hengst; grandson, Brady Riddle, and his children, Kai and Emma; granddaughter, Cacie Gates, her husband Mike, and their children, Abigail and Matthew; grandson, Dean Hengst, his wife Jenny, and their children, Ryan and Julia; granddaughter, Joy Hengst; granddaughter-in-law, Amanda Canaris, her husband Blake, and their son, Ben; and brother-in-law, Gene Austin.

Julia spent the last three years of her life in the care of the wonderful staff at Arbor Hills Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Eagle Lake, Texas. Julia's family is grateful for the compassionate care she experienced at Arbor Hills and requests that anyone wishing to honor her with a monetary gift do so by donating to the facility in her memory.

To honor her memory, and especially her strong faith, her family would like to share her favorite bible verse: “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help” (Psalms 121:1).