Austin Bucklin
It is with heavy hearts that we share with you that our husband, father, brother and friend, Austin Harry Bucklin, passed away on March 6, 2022. Austin’s family is honoring his wish of cremation in lieu of burial.
A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 19, 2022, at Southwest Louisiana Veterans Home in Jennings, located at 1610 Evangeline Highway.
Austin was born in Jennings on March 13, 1942, to Fred Bucklin of Roanoke and Myrtle Phenice Bucklin of Hathaway.
Austin and his sisters grew up in Hathaway, where their father ran a garden nursery and their mother was an elementary school teacher.
After graduating from Hathaway High School, Austin went on to serve our country honorably in the Air Force and marry the love of his life in 1965 in Alice Springs, Australia.
Austin was an aviation enthusiast and a certified aircraft mechanic. He was a great provider for his family, working primarily in aviation for Riceland Aviation, Lyons Flying Service, L&R Flying Services and Petroleum Helicopters Incorporated, among others. He also worked in construction during his family’s time in Wales, UK, and, later in life, became a certified laboratory technician and worked in healthcare.
He had a wonderfully quirky sense of humor, specializing in puns and witty exchanges. He was very creative and loved to draw and build control line model aircraft, which his children were always thrilled to go flying with him. He loved animals and all the gifts of nature and especially treasured the companionship of his pet dogs in his retirement.
He also loved tinkering with old cars and was a talented craftsman who could build and repair almost anything, but his true passion was always airplanes. He was captivated by these delicate, magical machines from his first sight of one as a child.
Austin will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him and will be remembered always for his immense strength and kindness.
Austin is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Margaret New Bucklin; his son, John Austin Bucklin and daughter-in-law, Margaret Theriot Bucklin; daughters Anita Marie Bucklin and Mary Ann Bucklin Long; his seven grandchildren, Alex Hebert, Julian Bucklin, Maysie Bucklin, Carli Bucklin, Michael Kunzler, Aidan Long and Violet Long; his five great-grandchildren and his sister, Loris V. Woolley.
Austin was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Myrtle (Phenice) Bucklin of Jennings; his son, Dale Edward Bucklin of Federal Way, Wash.; and his sisters, Sylvia Pilcher, Alma Waldorf and Betty Lou Landry.
The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Home in Jennings, whose excellent standard of care and compassionate staff made Austin’s final years comfortable and happy, as well as supported the family during this difficult time.
To extend online condolences, please visit www.matthewsandsonfuneralhome.net.