Frances (Brier) Austin, of Mt. Pleasant, died peacefully Saturday, March 23, 2013, in Westmoreland Manor, Greensburg. She was born in Mt. Pleasant, the fifth child of John and Catherine Benjock Brier. Frances graduated from Vincentian High School in North Hills and Mount Mercy College in Pittsburgh. She taught in a Catholic school in Braddock and Munhall for many years. Frances was a Catholic church organist at Madonna Del Costello Church in Swissvale for 31 years. Presently she was the organist at Westmoreland Manor. She served in the chapel at all Catholic services. Frances was preceded in death by her husband, Charles, and two sons, James and Charles Austin; also brothers, John, Joseph, Aloysius and Raymond; and sisters, Catherine, Mary, Eleanor and Elizabeth. Frances is survived by her daughter, Catherine Damp and her husband, Harry, who live in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Carol Benson and her husband, Carl, who live in Pittsburgh; also her grandsons, Carl Michael Benson and wife, Denise, and Benjamin Benson and wife, Deborah; her granddaughter, Deborah Damp; and two great-grandsons, Timothy and Daniel Benson. One sister, Anna Mae Iwaniec, survives, along with many nieces and nephews. Family and friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the BROOKS FUNERAL HOME INC., 406 E. Washington St., Mt. Pleasant, where a blessing service will be held at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, followed by a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in Visitation Roman Catholic Church, Mt. Pleasant, with the Rev. Richard Kosisko as celebrant. Interment will follow in Visitation Cemetery. A parish wake service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in the funeral home. To sign the guest registry, please visit http://www.brooksfuneralhomes.com.

(Pittsburgh Tribune Review 3/24/2013)