JAMES J. AUSTIN A good man. James J. Austin of Oroville, CA died on October 14, 2020 at the age of 88 after a brief period of declining health. He was, and will be remembered for being, a romantic, a patriot, a soldier, and a good man. He would often talk fondly about his time in military service, his adventures in the Army in the South Pacific, and of the deep respect he had for those serving our country. His post-Army career included serving the communities of San Luis Obispo and Monterey as a police officer and a communications engineer for first responders; later progressing into biomedical electronics before his retirement from central California to Oroville. He loved nature, animals, the scenery of the Sierra foothills, the vastness of the Arizona desserts. He lived as a boy in Sedona Arizona before enlisting in the U.S. Army, and often spoke of those times as some of the happiest of his life. Having grown up in the rural Southwest he was rightly proud of his pioneer lifestyle skills. A "can do" spirit that served him well throughout his life. He was a kind man with a big heart, a good soul, and a giving nature. His faith in the Lord gave him strength which he shared with others, volunteering through the local Veterans Administration to ensure that deceased veterans received a military service during their funerals. A lifelong aficionado of aviation, he earned his private pilot's license before retirement; an accomplishment and realization of boyhood dreams. Jim will be missed. He will be forever in the hearts of those that knew him. A few paragraphs aren't enough to do a good man justice. But know a bit of his spirit lives on in those that serve our country, pioneer a life on the frontier, and when an aircraft takes flight. He was a very good man, indeed. Memorial Services will be announced at a later date. Flowers may be sent to the Scheer Memorial Chapel 2410 Foothill Blvd. Oroville, CA 95966.

Published in Chico Enterprise-Record on Oct. 22, 2020.