GRAVETTE — Rev. Jack Austin, Sr., of Gravette, will be honored at a celebration of his life and ministry Saturday, Jan. 8, at 2 p.m. at the First Assembly of God Church in Gravette.
Austin celebrated his 90th birthday on Jan. 4. He was born and raised on a farm northwest of Decatur and graduated from Decatur High School in 1939.
He began his ministry in 1966 at Mount Olive, a country church southeast of Gravette. He later pastored churches in Lavaca and returned to Gravette, where he pastored the Assembly of God Church 14 years.
Since his retirement at age 65, he has pastored churches in Rogers, Prairie Grove and the Reddick Assembly of God Church in Garfield.
After a bout with cancer in 2008, he has returned to pastoring at the Bethel Heights Assembly of God Church east of Gentry.
He and his first wife, Marjorie Balch, also from Decatur, were married more than 54 years. They raised four children. She died in 1996.Jack later married Oletta Mc-Gaugh, the widow of a fellow pastor and friend, Rev. Roy McGaugh. They make their home in Gravette.
News, Pages 5 on 01/05/2011