Austin John Brouns

Austin John Brouns passed away peacefully in Dallas TX on March 27, 2024 at the age of 93.

Austin was born on November 15th, 1931 in Osakis, Minnesota, to John Louis Brouns Jr. and Helen Veronica Schmid Brouns, the sixth of seven children. Growing up on the family farm in Douglas County, MN, he developed a keen interest in both the natural and technical world around him. He attended Central High School in Alexandria, Minnesota, where he graduated in 1949, and was voted "Most Studious" and "Most Likely to Succeed." After high school Austin joined the Army where he received training as a Survey Engineer in the Army Corp of Engineers. Austin was discharged in 1955, serving in the Army Reserves until 1961.

Austin was a firm believer in education, receiving a BA in Fine Arts in 1952 from the University of Chicago, an MS in Electrical Engineering in 1967 from the Illinois Institute of Technology and an MA in Business Administration in 1976 from the University of Texas.

He devoted his career to electronics technology, starting with Shure Brothers in 1956, moving to LTV Research in 1967. (Interesting discovery: Austin always listed his middle name as Joseph, but LTV security clearance records note that his legal name was actually Austin John Brouns). Austin eventually transitioned to Lockheed Martin Vought Systems where he became a Senior Scientist in research. His focus was on acoustic devices, microwave equipment, and infrared detectors. During Austin's career he received numerous patents for products he designed and published dozens of papers in Engineering Journals. Austin retired from Lockheed in 1998, and then — in his own words from his 50 year high school reunion booklet — "made some international trips, engaging in one of [his] favorite leisure activities: hiking and backpacking."

Austin was a devoted Brouns family member who used his passion for travel as a way to stay connected with his relatives and friends. Many stories about him are filled with gratitude for the trips, gatherings, and events that he facilitated. He regularly traveled around the country to visit a vast network of family and friends, including family in Virginia Beach, Minnesota, and Washington State. Several nieces and nephews remember their first plane ride in Austin's 172 single engine Skyhawk, which he flew to Minnesota in the early 1960s one summer just to entertain them.

Austin kept meticulous records of his world travels, organized by country and travel group. He carefully planned his trips from pre-packed lunches to the Inns and hotels he would stay at each night. He kept fastidious records of his travels and created spiral-bound books and calendars with photographs that he would share with those that traveled less. Austin would also show his photos in classic slideshows much to the delight of family and friends.

Some of Austin's favorites adventures included trips to Bavaria, Italy, Siberia, China, Ecuador, Chile, Patagonia, and a favorite riverboat trip up the Amazon River. He made several trips to Belgium and countries nearby researching family history, eventually compiling genealogy charts for his siblings, nieces and nephews. Travels within the US often included family members. Some favorites were canoeing in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota, and several backpacking trips in California, Texas, and Wyoming. Through his adventures, Austin inspired many lifelong hikers, including several family members. In his later years when Austin was unable to go on regular trips, he still helped with trip planning and enjoyed that family members and friends continued to go on adventures inspired by him.

Austin will be remembered for the gifts he left behind: his love of travel and adventure, his commitment to family and friends, his meticulous organization skills, and his passion for education.

Austin was preceded in death by his parents: John and Helen Brouns, his siblings: Richard, Alice (Anderson), Robert, Harold, Virginia (Rainwater), and Joan (Richied), his niece Dawn Anderson Jaeger, nephew David Anderson, and niece Marsha Brouns McWreath. Niece Barbara Richied passed after Austin's death. He is survived by an extensive network of nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. A private memorial celebration is planned in the Wyoming wilderness, one of Austin's favorite backpacking adventures.