Obituary of Janet Jean Austin

Janet Jean Singer Austin was born March 20, 1941, in Sioux City Iowa, to Raymond and Nellie Singer. She’s a 1959 graduate of Sioux City’s East High School and a 1963 graduate of Midland College, in Fremont, Nebraska, where she majored in English and education. At Midland, she was a member of the Tri Phi sorority and inducted into the Alpha Psi Omega honor society for theater arts. 

  Janet married Charles M Austin on August 17, 1963, and the couple has two children; Adam Austin of New Jersey and Glenda DeSchepper of Minnesota. Her teaching career began at Proviso  high school in Maywood, Illinois. She earned a masters degree in library science at Rosary College (now Dominican University) in River Forest, Illinois, also taking courses at New York University.  

   Janet was a librarian in several public libraries, and at public schools in Port Ewen, New York; Wyckoff and Clifton, New Jersey, retired as head librarian at Clifton High, New Jersey. 

   In Teaneck, New Jersey, where she lived until moving to Minnesota seven years ago, she was a founder of the Feminist Action Coalition of Teaneck, and held several offices in the Teaneck League of Women Voters, registering many new voters over a long period of time. Rutgers University in New Jersey certified her as a Master Gardener, qualified to help individuals and municipalities with their gardens and landscaping, and she developed special expertise in growing heirloom tomatoes. Every year at the end of summer she hosted a “T” (tomato) party for all of her friends. Janet traveled the world with her husband, children, and grandchildren. She was an avid reader often stating that everyone should be able to read anything they want to in print. Janet was also a lover of cats and theater arts anywhere she was in the world. But favorite will always be NYC.  

   Janet is survived by her husband, Charles Austin, her two children, Adam Austin, New Jersey, Glenda (Todd) DeSchepper, Minnesota, two grandchildren, Austin and Isabelle Deschepper, both of Minnesota, and 3 nieces, her brother-in-law, cousins, and many friends throughout this country and world that will miss her greatly. 

   The funeral service is scheduled for Thursday, May 1 at 2 p.m. at St. Barnabas Lutheran Church, 15600 Old Rockford Road, Plymouth, MN 55446. Light reception to follow.