Emily Frances Austin

Emily Frances Young Austin, age 82, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 11, 2026. She leaves behind a legacy of creativity, a deep love for nature, and a generous spirit that touched lives both locally and across the globe.

For 61 beautiful years, Emily was married to the love of her life, Jim. Their incredible milestone and unwavering devotion to one another continually amazed everyone who knew them, serving as a true testament to enduring love. As a dedicated and capable Navy wife of 22 years, Emily embodied the unique resilience, strength, and courage required of military spouses while Jim served a full career in the United States Navy Submarine Force. Her profound respect for the Armed Forces also extended to a deeply special connection with the United States Marine Corps, specifically supporting India Company. Her enduring dedication to service members was reflected in her longtime devotion to creating care packages for deployed personnel.

Emily was an avid outdoorswoman in her younger years, a passion that stayed with her throughout her life. She possessed a vast knowledge of flowers, trees, and birds, and loved horses, fishing, and animals of all kinds, especially her beloved cats. She enjoyed many things that she was able to share with her family, including caving and canoeing, and was quite talented in skeet shooting and was the Mississippi State Ladies Skeet Shooting Champion 2 years in a row. In recent years, she also delighted in the online community of magnet fishing, sharing the excitement of discovering historical treasures hidden in rivers with friends worldwide.

Art was Emily’s lifelong passion, and she dedicated herself to it even more as she grew older. She expressed her deep love for the outdoors through her artwork, painting across a variety of mediums. An intuitive collector of life's details, Emily also saved everyday things she saw to create intricate collages. She continually amazed others with her unique vision, always finding meaning in little bits and pieces and transforming them into beautiful artistic expressions. Her creativity was matched only by her generosity; Emily used her talents to support local charities, crocheting hats for babies in the NICU and for cancer patients.

A devoted member of Saint Mark's Methodist Church, Emily also cherished the simple joys of life, like watching football on Sundays with her family.

Emily is survived by the two absolute joys of her life, her beloved husband, Jim Austin, and her cherished daughter, Bonnie Austin. She was preceded in death by her parents, and as a small, fiercely devoted family, she leaves behind a bond that will never be broken.

Graveside service will be Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 1:00 PM at Middle Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society in Emily's honor.