Kenneth Wayne "Ken" Austin

Ken Austin, 66, of Bayard, NE peacefully passed away on Thursday, January 22, 2026, after battling ALS. Funeral services will be held at 2pm on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Bridgeport, NE with Pastor Peter Preus officiating. Services will be livestreamed on Bridgman Funeral Home Facebook page. Interment will follow at Oregon Trail Memorial Park Cemetery in Bridgeport. In lieu of any flowers, memorials may be given to St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Bridgeport or ALS in the Heartland, 1915 N. 121st St., Omaha, NE 68154. Online condolences may be made by viewing Ken's memorial page at www.bridgmanfuneralhome.com. Bridgman Funeral Home in Bridgeport is entrusted with arrangements.

Ken was born Sept. 10, 1959, in Glasgow, MT to Terry (Allen) and Alvin (Ernie) Austin. He was reborn in the waters of Holy Baptism on Febr. 17, 1991, at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Collins, CO. In May of that same year, he and Janet Martin, of Bridgeport, NE, were united in marriage. He and Jan traveled to Russia in 1999, and adopted two two-year olds, Daniel and Maria.

Ken worked hard growing up, helping his parents' commercial fishing enterprise on Fort Peck Reservoir in northeast Montana as well as their Duck Creek Supper Club. He spent much of his free time racing dirt bikes and stockcars. He earned his bachelor's and master's degree in computer information systems from Regis University in Denver, CO. As a self-described "computer nerd" Ken worked in several tech companies in the Denver metro area before landing at Oracle. The evolution of the internet created the opportunity for Ken to work remotely; so in 2001 he, Jan, and their two toddlers moved to Bayard, NE and built a strawbale house. Over the following years, he built up a small cow-calf operation as a relief from his computer screen.

Ken is survived by his wife Jan and son Daniel of Bayard; daughter Maria (Anthony) Watson and grandson Ryker of Lindon, UT; siblings Debi Miller and Wade (Vanessa) Austin of Billings, MT; Brian (Jenny) Austin of Glasgow, MT; Don Allen of San Marcos, CA; and many extended family.

He was preceded in death by his mother Terry Austin, father and stepmother Ernie and Donna Mae Austin, parents in-law Ruben and Paula Martin, and nephew Cody Stensland.