Obituaries, Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Published 7:12 pm Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Bobby Leroy “Bob” Austin

Bobby Leroy “Bob” Austin, age 85 of Huntsville, Alabama, passed away on Friday, March 15, 2024. Bob was born in Troy, Alabama, on May 17, 1938, to Charlie Clemon Austin and Lela Glen (Sikes) Austin.

Bobby Leroy “Bob” Austin

Bob was a man of faith, believing in salvation through Jesus and life eternal. Much of his life was spent teaching and mentoring church youth and young adults, working in outreach, and serving as a deacon.

When he graduated from Troy High School in 1956, he did so having years of experience working in construction with his father and as a clerk at the local grocery store and at a feed and seed store. While in high school, Bob was active in Beta Club, Key Club, acting, football, student council, and was junior class president. After completing high school, Bob worked in construction with his father and for Botts & Ray Civil Engineers until he began his studies as an engineer at the University of Alabama in 1959.

While at the University of Alabama, Bob became a member of the Lamba Chi Alpha fraternity and the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps through which he was trained as a pilot. He returned to Troy to work with his father in construction projects over the summers. He graduated from the University of Alabama with an aeronautical engineering degree and a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force in 1961.  On February 14, 1962, Bob married Patricia Ann “Pat” Griffin.

Bob served in the active duty Air Force until 1973, during which time he and Pat were stationed in England for several years and were able to see much of Europe. Bob served as an electronic warfare officer on strategic bombers at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, until being assigned as an avionics maintenance officer with the 79th Tactical Fighter Squadron based in Woodbridge, England. During the Vietnam War, Bob deployed from Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, as an avionics maintenance officer and member of the 49th Tactical Fighter Wing which participated in Operations Constant Guard and Linebacker where the wing flew 4,000 sorties and accumulated more than 21,000 combat hours over South Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and North Vietnam.

Upon ending his active military service at the rank of captain, Bob and Pat moved their family back to the Southeast where Bob became an entrepreneur, running a personnel recruitment and staffing service with his brother-in-law, Gary Griffin, in Pensacola, Florida. Unfortunately, the timing of the endeavor was right before the national economic recession from 1973 to 1975. Bob worked as a retail store manager in Birmingham, Alabama, and Kansas City, Missouri, for several years. In 1977, Bob completed a master’s degree in industrial engineering and began serving in the U.S. Air Force Reserve where he continued military service until he retired at the rank of colonel in 1988. In 1984, he obtained a master’s degree in Systems Management. Bob and his family moved to Huntsville, Alabama, in 1978 where he worked as an engineer for U.S. Army Missile Command until he retired in 1997. On May 27, 2006, Bob married Linda Lou Medlock. Bob and Linda shared a passion for dancing and traveling and were able to see much of America before Bob’s health began to decline.

Bob is survived by his wife, Linda Medlock Austin; four children and their spouses which include Steve and Jodi (Hopkins) Austin, Jeff and Samantha (Reynolds) Austin, Jai and Kristin (Austin) Johnson, and Bobby and Shannon (Sobul) Austin; two stepdaughters, Kelly Boggus and Casey (Boggus) Stanfill, wife of Audie Stanfill, Jr., six grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, one greatgrandchild, their families, and many other dear family members and friends who love and miss him. Bob was preceded in death by his first wife; his parents; two older brothers,  James Monroe Austin and Alton Austin; three sisters, Lillian (Austin) Prince, Vivian (Austin) Johnson, and Mary Austin); and one great-grandson, Liam Austin.

Services: visitation 1:00 pm and memorial service 2:00 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2024 at Dillard Funeral Home, Troy, AL. Burial to follow at Union Hill Cemetery.

Phillip Ray Morgan

Phillip Ray Morgan, age 90, a resident of Troy, died Sunday, March 17, 2024 at Troy Regional Medical Center. Memorial services for Mr. Morgan will be held Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 12pm at St. Marks Episcopal Church in Troy with Father Mike Schwarte officiating and Dillard Funeral Home of Troy Directing. Burial will follow at Green Hills Memorial Cemetery.

Mr. Morgan was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. Mr. Morgan was a simple southern man who enjoyed the simple things in life. He loved tending to his garden and had a real talent for it. Everyone who knew Mr. Morgan knew of his green thumb. Another passion he had was for turkey hunting. As long as his body allowed Mr. Morgan could always find joy in being in his blind. Perhaps above all he loved his family and cherished the time he spent with them. He was loved by many and will be missed by all.

Mr. Morgan is survived by his children: Stephanie Williams (Leon) and Phillip Morgan Jr. (Melanie); grandchildren: John Thomas Row IV and Mollie Frances Row.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Ann Morgan; parents: Matthew and Mollie Morgan; along with 3 sisters and 5 brothers.

In lieu of flowers that family requests donations be made to the American Heart Association.