Ben Alvin Austin

Ben Alvin Austin, 81, of Farmington, passed away Sunday, May 14, 2017, in Farmington. He was born July 24, 1935, on a ranch in Chavez county to the foreman Charlie Austin, and his wife Grace during the depression, he learned to work early. Seldom did he and his brother have time for extracurricular activities. Instead of having an allowance, he was assigned acreage, with profits from the cotton he grew for his school clothes and expenses. But life wasn't all work, there was money left over from the crop for a fancy scooter, and weekend excursions to Rabbit Flats to hunt rabbits. Trying to earn extra money to finish paying off the mortgage on the cotton farm, the family became labor farm migrants in California. After returning to N.M. and finding the hot dry wind too miserable, Charlie tried a fruit farm in Colo. There, during his senior year in high school, Ben met Dorothy Hollett and they were married Dec. 5, 1954. He then took a job with the Atomic Energy commission west of Sanostee, where their honeymoon cottage was an 8'x21' trailer supplied by the government. When Uranium exploration came to an end in 1957, Ben and Dorothy decided to take their year-old baby boy, their new 8'x32' trailer, and their new 1956 Chevy Bel Air to El Paso, Texas for Ben to go school at Texas Western. Ten years later, a CPA certificate in hand, along with two more children, they moved to Farmington, where Ben worked for Ray Kysar as an accountant for many years, then for EESI and Tom and Randy Akins until he retired in 1997. The family had always loved to camp out, and go Jeeping in the mountains. With more time after retirement, they bought a motorhome and proceeded to see the USA, starting with a three-month trip to Alaska. Farmington proved to be an ideal place for the family, with all three children and most of the grandchildren choosing to make the four corners their home, and all of them loving camping/Jeeping trips to the mountains.
Ben was a man who loved to laugh and showed respect and love to all he encountered. He served the Lord and set an example for his family to follow.
Ben was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Rube Austin. He is survived by his wife of 62 years Dorothy; his children, Mick Austin (Dennette), Mark Austin (Catherine) and Beki Cassels (Kelly); grandchildren, Benjamin Austin (Krista), Leah Richards (Ron), Lyndsie Valdez (Jason), Wesley Austin (Bris), Andrew Cassels (Trista), Steven Cassels, Kimberly Cassels; great-grandchildren Taylor and Tori Austin, Gavin Drake, Adam, Chase and Cassidy Richards, Jaidan Jaramillo, Rylan, Finn and Ari Valdez, Mason and Brantley Cassels; brother, Bert Austin (Sandy); sisters, Elsie Ladage (Al), Velda Wilson, numerous nieces and nephews, and many friends.
Ben will be laid to rest at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 25 at the Memory Gardens Cemetery, 6917 E. Main St. in Farmington. A funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Friday, May 26 at the Piñon Hills Community Church - Student Center, 5101 N. Dustin Ave. in Farmington.
Ben's care is entrusted to Brewer, Lee and Larkin Funeral Home, 103 E. Ute St. in Farmington, 505-325-8688. Those who wish to express their condolences may do so at serenityandcompany.com.