Gena Lynn Austin

Gena Lynn Austin Resident of Concord Gena L. Austin, crossed her rainbow bridge on Tuesday, July 19, 2011 with her best friend and companion of 36 years, Richard T. Iseri, at her side. She was born on January 13, 1955 growing up in San Leandro and graduated from Marina High School and had also attended CSU Hayward before moving to Concord in 1980. She is survived by her mother, Catherine N Austin of Hayward and sister Janet Tufu and family in Hinesville, GA. She was preceded in death by her father Ralph J. Austin. Her extended family consists of her brother-in-law as well as her niece and nephew and many cousins. She always considered Michele Iseri and her husband Joseph Kreamer as her own family. The children, Morgan and Olivia called her "Grandma Gena" and she loved the children as her own grandchildren. She was employed for Mt. Diablo Home Health Care for 17 years before spending the last 10 years with Kaiser Permanente Regional office in Oakland. She truly enjoyed her coworkers and supervisors at Kaiser and thought of them as friends. Her passion for the past 12 years has been with and for PROS (Pug Rescue of Sacramento) from foster family to board of directors to Director/President. She would spend 3 to 4 hours a night plus weekends answering calls, emails, and conducting "pug business". In the past 3 plus years she added FBRN (French Bulldog Rescue Network) to her resume. The "rescued" and adopted pugs are in the multiple hundreds over the years. Her mantra was to never let a pug perish in a shelter, although of late she resigned herself to the fact that they could not save them all. Although she was thankful to all the veterinary hospitals she used she was always especially appreciative of the help, cooperation and advice she received from Bishop Ranch Veterinary Hospital in San Ramon. Those who only knew and saw one facet of Gena may be surprised to learn of her varied activities throughout her life. As a young woman, she was a competitive runner. Heat, cold, or rain she would run her 6 plus miles after work to train and relax. She entered and ran every 10K race that was not too far from home while Richard ate doughnuts and drank coffee at the finish line. When she packed up her medals, skiing became her next activity and then came the 10 years of riding Harley's. For a woman who could not ride a bicycle, she took a motorcycle safety course and immediately started with a "big' bike. She obtained her license and took her test on the "big" Harley and passed on her first attempt. Her first year she rode over 12,000 miles and her second year a little over 10,000 miles. Touring with her was Richard and her "little' brother Marty Froomin riding front and rear traveling all the Southwestern states, then the Northwest to include Victoria Island and British Columbia. She attended the Laughlin, NV run for nine years. On the east coast her 'big" brother Francis Peay, who at the time was coaching for the Indianapolis Colts, joined the group and they rode from Indianapolis to Atlanta, then along the Blue Ridge Parkway to ride all the Mid-Atlantic States. She always had the fastest bike, cammed, and her 130 lbs only made her faster. When carpal tunnel syndrome and a trigger thumb set in she started her next and last endeavor, her pugs. Although all too short, she felt she accomplished all she wanted to do in life except be a dog trainer/behaviorist after retiring from Kaiser. She felt her bucket list was almost complete. She said so many people traveled to visit this country she should see it firsthand. Riding her Harley she felt the wind in her face, smelled the smells and traveled the four winds. For all those many others who rode with her, now may the wind be at her back and forever smooth riding. Her family wished to thank all the doctors and staff at Kaiser Oncology, Walnut Creek, especially Dr. Russin who spent 5 years treating Gena, USC Research Oncology in Los Angeles for the many clinical trials and all the support provided by the staff and caring members of Kaiser Hospice for making her final journey as comfortable and peaceful as possible. Gena had always said if the clinical trials did not work for her maybe someone else would one day be blessed with her effort. At her request no service will be held but all her friends will be contacted for a Celebration of her life at a later date. For those lives she touched we will always be grateful for the love she provided and she will be missed for the rest of our lives. In lieu of flowers she requested donations be made to PROS (Pug Rescue of Sacramento) P.O. Box 5094, Concord Ca 94524.