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Obituary: Neil H. Austin, 66, Boonville
Published: May 02, 2026
By: Provided by Iseneker
Funeral Home
Neil H. Austin
 BOONVILLE-Neil H. Austin,
66, of Boonville, NY passed away on May 1, 2026, at home surrounded by his
loving family after a hard-fought battle with cancer.
Neil was born on
October 6, 1959, in Lowville, NY, and grew up in Glenfield, NY.
Neil graduated
from South Lewis Central School, Class of 1977. He went on to earn his Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from SUNY Cortland and
his Master’s Degree in Education from Elmira
College. After teaching in Maryland and Waverly, he returned to his dream
job teaching math at South Lewis High School. Over a 31-year career, he also coached
football, wrestling, baseball, track and field, and both boys’ and girls’
swimming, leaving a lasting impact on many. In the classroom, on the field,
and in the pool, he was known for his steady presence, his humor, and the
way he connected with students.
Neil was a member
of the Adirondack Community Chorus and had a profound love of music and
singing. He enjoyed crossword puzzles and was known for beating just about
everyone at Jeopardy. Neil was an avid sports fan who rarely missed the
Olympics, college football season, a golf tournament, or March Madness, and
was a devoted and lifelong fan of the New York Yankees. Neil was a 3-sport
athlete in high school and for many years played Men’s Softball. Neil
brought a sense of humor and ease to everyday life. More than anything, he
loved spending time with his family, especially his daughters and sons-in-law,
with his favorite canine, Fawn, and with spending time at the Austin camp.
He is survived
the love of his life, his wife of 29 years, Tracy (VanLuven) Austin of
Boonville; his daughters, Brittany Ducey (Joe) of Durham, NC, and Morgan
Austin (Sean Healey) of Houston, TX; and his seven brothers, Dale Austin
(Tammy) of Buffalo, NY; Randy Austin (Spring) of Lowville, NY; Leon Austin
(Rae) of Lowville, NY; Alan Austin (Donna) of Boonville, NY; Mark Austin
(Dawn) of Glenfield, NY; Tim Austin (Tammie) of Turin, NY; and Brian Austin
(Jean) of Elgin, SC. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Pam Ricci
(Fred) of Boonville, NY; brother-in-law, Roger VanLuven of Detroit, MI; brother-in-law,
Kim VanLuven of Daytona, FL; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces,
nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews.
He was
predeceased by his parents, Justine “Jolly” Austin and Leonard Austin; his
brother, Larry Austin; his sisters-in-law; Patti Griffin and Judy VanLuven
and his brothers-in-law; Kevin VanLuven, Bill McIntyre, and Tim Griffin.
Neil shared a
close bond with his core group of friends, Jerry VanNest (Pamela Bray),
Curt Shipman (Donna), John Norton (Kim), Eric Sieber (Kim), and the late
Myrton Farr. He also held a lifelong connection with the VanNest family,
including Shirley and the late Ferg, who were like a second set of parents
to him.
The family would
like to extend their gratitude to the Boonville Fire and Ambulance Company
for their help over the past several months, as well as to Sue Austin and
the staff and nurses at hospice care for their support and kindness.
Neil’s positive
presence will leave a lasting impact on so many lives, and we are deeply
grateful for the love, generosity and support he received in his final
months.
Calling hours will
be held from 3 P.M. to 6 P.M. on Wednesday May 6th at Iseneker
Funeral Home, Lowville, NY with a memorial service to follow. A reception
will be held at Glenfield Fire Hall after the
conclusion of the services, all are welcome. Any food donations can be brought to
Glenfield Fire Hall on Wednesday May 6th after 12 P.M. Donations in Neil’s memory may be made to
Boonville Fire Company and Ambulance, P.O. Box 164, Boonville, NY 13309 or the Stand Up to Cancer.
Condolences and
memories may be shared with Neil’s family online at www.isenekerfuneralhome.com.
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