Kay Austin

November 7, 2024

1938-2024

Kay left this world on November 7th, 2024, to go riding with Bob.
Kay was born in Redwood City, California to Velma and Charles Kearns, April 1938.
Her father, Charles, was in the Navy Sea Bees and was away during World War II. In letters home, he referred to Kay as his ‘Kay Doll’, the youngest of their, then, three children.
As a child, Kay was quite fond of visiting her maternal grandparents at their farm and orchard in what is now Livermore, California.
Kay went to Catholic boarding school, then her last year switched to public high school in Madera, California.
Kay had her own horse by age nine and was responsible for pigs and chickens on the family’s ranch.
It was always said that when her mother wanted a chicken for dinner
Kay would shoot one in the head with her trusty 22 rifle.
While Kay has lived the last fifty years in Winnemucca, her introduction to Winnemucca was in the mid 1940’s, when her father, Charles, and his brother Jack, bought the Frank Tobin Ranch. Now known as the Circle Bar.
Just after high school, Kay met the love of her life, Robert ‘Bob’ Austin, an airman stationed in Madera, California.
They eloped and married in Carson City, Nevada in 1957.
As an Air Force couple, Kay and Bob were raising two children, Tracy and Chuck, and moving as assigned. Moves included Oregon, Arizona, California and even the now closed Winnemucca Air Force Base.
Kay always sought employment wherever they lived and was very successful in landing many diverse positions, from school administration to certified lifeguard.
Kay ingrained a fundamental mantra in this small family of four; that they would have fun. We did.
Whether the fun was camping, riding motorcycles, hiking, singing in the car together, the holidays, cooking, exploring our new town or meeting new people.
In the name of fun, Kay started a bottle collecting hobby in Oregon. Her kids used to tease her that she’d dug up every abandoned outhouse in her quest for antique bottles.
Kay was very active in little theater groups and once played the role of Ado Annie in a production of “Oklahoma!”. Her family enjoyed seeing her in productions.
When it came time to retire from the Air Force in 1974, Kay and Bob made one final move. Winnemucca was their pick to enjoy family and the desert, dirt bike riding, “rock collecting”, fishing and camping they so loved.
Kay held various jobs, including helping to establish the Winnemucca Convention Center in the late 1970’s and creating a walking tour of Winnemucca with the museum. She wrote numerous features that included her photos, for the local publication of the Winni Mini Mart.
Kay was also very active in the Winnemucca tennis scene teaching and playing competitively with her friends all over the state of Nevada.
Later in life she was a volunteer at the Poke and Peek, where she had many friends.
Her favorite role was grandmother to grandson Shaun, in the mid 80’s.
Kay created a special garden with a yellow brick road. It wasn’t yellow, but still, a brick road where he would ride his scooter and water the beautiful plants.
Kay will always be remembered for her love and knowledge of the desert, sand dunes and Winnemucca.
She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great grandmother and accomplished gardener with a wicked sense of humor.
She never met a stranger that she didn’t worry about and lived to enjoy each day.
Kay was preceded in death by her parents, Velma and Chuck Kearns, her siblings, Jim (Norma), Jackie and Pat Kearns; and her beloved husband Robert ‘Bob’ Austin.
She is survived by her children, Tracy (Dave) and Chuck (Tracie) Austin, grandson, Shaun Austin (Jade),and great grandson, Robert.
There are many friends, god children, cousins, nieces and nephews that were always a big part of her life.
The family is thanking two important groups in caring for Kay. Isabelle Diaz and her team, caring for Kay with love in her home and helping her transition to Quail Corner. We also thank the Quail Corner staff for their love, humor and compassion in her last months. Kay loved and appreciated all of you.
Per Kay and Bob’s wishes, there will not be a service. Kay and Bob’s ashes will be scattered this spring in the sand dunes they spent so many days exploring. On a clear day, you may catch a glimpse of them riding.
Now, get outside and have fun! Kay says so.