Austin Keith Wolf

1923 - 2024

Austin Keith Wolf
In loving memory of Austin K. Wolf who died at age 101 3/4 at his home in Bridgeport, Connecticut on November 4, 2024.
Austin was a beloved husband, father, brother, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, great-uncle, stepfather, step-grandfather, friend, colleague, and valued counsel. For over fifty years he practiced law at Cohen and Wolf, P.C., the law firm in Bridgeport of which he was the founding partner.
Austin was predeceased by his wife, Beverly Silver Wolf, to whom he was married until her death at age 55 in 1981, and by his second wife Ellen Koizim Wolf, who died in 2019.
Austin is survived by his devoted children, Nancy (Jim Pavle) of Chevy Chase, Maryland and Judy of Fairfield, by his beloved brother, Martin F. Wolf (Hinda) of Bridgeport, cherished grandchildren, Elizabeth (Brian Mixer), Edward, Max and Dana, his adored great-grandchildren, Tyler and Owen, his caring stepchildren, John Koizim (Martha Castillo) and Candy Goldstein (Bob) and step-grandchildren, Matthew (Mary) and Joseph (Fay) and their children, as well as by caring nieces, nephews, grandnieces and great-nephews in the Silver and Wolf families.
Austin was born on February 1, 1923 in Peoria, Illinois to Gustave Albert and Daisy Lazard Wolf, and following his father's work in the garment industry, was raised in Utica, New York, Groton and Norwich, Connecticut, until the family settled in Bridgeport, Connecticut where Austin attended Central High School, graduating in 1940, meeting Lenny Silver, who introduced him to his sister, Austin's first wife, Beverly. Austin lived and worked his entire adult life in Fairfield and Bridgeport.
Two days after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Austin enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and began basic training in Parris Island, S.C. ("the best years of my life") and then served on the USS South Dakota, including 28 months overseas in the Pacific and European Theaters of operation until 1945.
Austin graduated from Yale University (Branford College) in 1948, attending for three years under the post-war, V-12 program for veterans.
He graduated from Harvard Law School, cum laude in 1951 and was admitted to the bar in the same year. Returning to Bridgeport, Austin connected with Herbert Cohen, an established lawyer, and together they founded Cohen and Wolf, P.C., a full-service firm, which grew to having fifty plus lawyers with three offices, Bridgeport, Danbury and Westport.
He played a highly active role in shaping the law firm and maintained a robust practice in the areas of land use planning, zoning, and real estate development. Austin continued to regularly go into his office at 1115 Broad Street in Bridgeport until he was in his late 90s; his law firm office is located a half mile from the apartment on Golden Hill Street where he grew up.
In 2007 Austin received the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Connecticut Bar Association's Planning and Zoning Section in recognition of his "longstanding distinguished service as a planning and zoning lawyer, to clients, to the profession, to the community, to strong ethical practices and to the advancement of knowledge, to writing, lecturing and similar pursuits."
In 2008 he received the Career Service Award from the Greater Bridgeport Bar Association.
On Veterans Day in 2014 he was presented with the Stephen Koteles Memorial Award by the Mayor of Bridgeport, due to Austin's wartime and ongoing civic service.
Austin was named one of the "Best Lawyers in America" every year since 1986. He was an attorney trial referee of the Connecticut Superior Court and received two commendations for service in that capacity. He was a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and a Fellow of the Connecticut Bar Association ("CBA"), a member of the house of Delegates of the CBA and past chairman of the executive committee of the planning and zoning section of the CBA. He was a frequent speaker at seminars on land use topics presented by the CBA.
Austin's life was shaped by his devotion to his family, his love of the law, his dedication to serving his community, his fidelity to the US Marines and his profound love of Israel, Yale University football and the New York Yankees.
Austin was a life-long member of Congregation Rodeph Sholom in Bridgeport where he served as president. He was a member of Birchwood Country Club in Westport, serving on its Board of Governors. Austin was also a director of the Greater Bridgeport Housing Corp., the Bridgeport Rehabilitation Center, and the Greater Bridgeport Area Foundation.
Austin was an active citizen of the town of Fairfield where he lived for nearly 65 years, serving Fairfield as a member of its Representative Town Meeting for many years, as a member of the Charter Revision Commission, Chairman of the Committee to Revise Fairfield Zoning and Subdivision Regulations and a vice-chairman of the Committee to Revise the Fairfield Plan of Development.
Austin visited Israel several times, including a Technion Mission with his wife, Ellen and daughter Nancy and son-in-law, Jim in March 1991 after the Gulf War following which he became a life-long supporter of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces ("FIDF"). In March 1997, Austin took eleven members of the family to Israel on a memorable trip to celebrate the Bat Mitzvah of granddaughter Elizabeth, atop Mount Masada.
Among Austin's lifelong activities was his regular attendance at Yale football games, both home and away, until age 99, always sitting in portal 15 and rooting loudly, staying until the very end of the game, despite the weather.
Austin was known for his strong sense of humor, wry wit and deep intelligence. He was an avid reader of WWII spy novels, The New Yorker and the New York Times. He completed the NYT's puzzle in ink in record time until very recently.
Austin treasured his family. He stayed deeply involved in the lives of his daughters, giving them valued advice and support, and was thrilled to welcome grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He visited for their birthdays, school graduations, and was always interested to hear about their academic progress and athletic activities.
Funeral services will be held at The Abraham L. Green and Son Funeral Home, 88 Beach Road, Fairfield, Connecticut on Thursday, November 7th at 11:00 a.m. with interment to follow at Rodeph Sholom Memorial Park, 183 Kings Highway East in Fairfield. Immediately after the funeral, the family will receive guests for a reception on the first floor of The Watermark, 3030 Park Avenue in Bridgeport. An evening Shiva will be held at the home of Susan Silver at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 7. For more information, to join the livestream and to share a condolence message, please visit www.greensfuneralhome.com.
Memorial contributions may be made to Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, https://www.fidf.org – P.O. Box 4224, New York, New York 10163.
We have lost a legendary man who will be remembered by the mitzvot he performed while he was among us and missed forever by his family.