Barbara Lou Austin Grady passed from us to her heavenly home on March 9, 2022. We will celebrate her life at noon on Thursday, March 24, 2022 in Chambers Creek Chapel at New Tacoma Cemetery. She will be laid to rest at New Tacoma Cemetery in University Place, Washington.

Barbara was born June 16, 1940 in Waco, Texas to the late Jack and Magdaline (Kruger) Austin. She grew up in Waco until she met the love of her life, John, at the USO Club in 1958. They married on July 3, 1959 in Tacoma, Washington where they resided for the next 62 years. To this union were born Renee, Mary, and April.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Franklin and John Austin; sister, Jeannette Jennings; and daughter, Mary Lynn Grady Kiefer. She is survived by her husband, John; daughters, Renee Tomlinson and husband, Butch, and April Grady; brothers, Jack Austin and wife Celia, and Hollin Austin and wife Delane of Texas; sisters, Shirley Bone of Mississippi, and Lillie Motacek of Texas; six grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren; her dog, Jesse James; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

It broke our hearts to lose you,

but you didn't go alone,

for parts of us went with you

the day God called you home.