Wilfred "Hines" Austin

A Catholic Funeral Service will be held on Friday, November 21, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Fountain Memorial Funeral Home in Lafayette, LA for Wilfred "Hines" Austin, 90, who passed away on Sunday, November 16, 2025.

Visitation will be observed at Fountain Memorial Funeral Home in Lafayette, LA from 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. The rosary will be recited at 10:30 a.m.

Entombment will follow in Fountain Memorial Cemetery in Lafayette, LA.

Father Howard Blessing of Lafayette, LA will officiate. Gift bearers: Grant Benoit and Rachel Benoit.

Pallbearers: Randy Theunissen, Mike Benoit, Richard Alderman, Matt Ewing, Mike Ewing and Paul Kron. Honorary pallbearers: Jim Shields, Paul Dupre, John David Graham, Bill Oliver, Dr. Richard Bischke and Lee Johnson.

Hines Austin passed away on November 16, 2025, with his loving wife and lifelong companion of 67 years, Charlotte Graham Austin at his side. He is survived by three daughters, Kay A. Theunissen (Randy); Jean A. Benoit (Mike) and Leslie A. Alderman (Richard), seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Hines was born in Reserve, Louisiana to Marion "Hines" Austin and Oneida Marie Englade. He attended St. Peters Parochial School in Reserve, Louisiana; St. Joseph's Seminary in Covington, Louisiana and graduated from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a B.S. Degree in Petroleum Engineering in 1958.

Hines and Charlotte raised their three daughters, Kay, Jean and Leslie, and it was the crowning success of his life to see them grow up to be successful women.

Hines and Charlotte enjoyed traveling across the South, East, and West areas of the United States, and took many international trips, including to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, United Kingdom, and the Adriatic Sea area. Hines and Charlotte's greatest trip was to take their daughters, their husbands, and their maternal grandchildren on a cruise to the Western Caribbean.

Hines was active in neighborhood activities. He was president of Broadmoor pool activities and yard decorations; at Holy Cross Catholic Church he served as president of the religious home school and education chair; and he was education chair with the Knights of Columbus. On Sundays he ushered. He served as president of the Edgar Martin Band and worked with the Acadiana High School Parents Band Club. Hines belonged to numerous professional societies – Society of Professional Engineers, Geological and Geophysical.

Hines enjoyed sports, especially the games played at LSU. As an individual and as a partner he participated in softball, basketball, volleyball, and bowling activities, but tennis was his love. He participated in numerous tournaments and played in singles as well as partner tennis several times weekly. Hines' greatest talent in sports was choosing great partners that he could complement in play.

Hines and Charlotte enjoyed celebrating the date they introduced themselves to each other – December 19, 1954. Their mutual friend, Sammy Miano, was throwing a birthday party for his girlfriend and future wife, Dot Songy, and invited him to a party. Knowing no girls at the time, he asked Sammy for suggestions, and he suggested Charlotte. They introduced themselves to each other; a loving history and celebration was made.

Hines was a Mr. Fixit. Anything that was mechanical and broke he took as a challenge to repair. It was the challenge he loved. Hines' words of challenge were – "If it is mechanical, it can only go together one way and work." Many of Charlotte's decorations still exist because of Mr. Fixit.

Professionally Hines worked for Chevron Oil Company, Chevron Research and Tenneco Oil rising to Manager. He founded two consulting companies and co-founded one worldwide consulting firm rising to President with offices in Lafayette, Louisiana; Houston, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; Denver, Colorado; Calgary, Canada and Jakarta, Indonesia. Subsurface Consulting and Associates (SCA) provided training in Geology, Geophysical and Petroleum Engineering and Field Studies and Consulting. He was active in engineering consulting work until recently closing his office in July 2025.

The family expresses much gratitude to the kind and compassionate staff members at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and AMG Specialty Hospital, as well as his devoted caregivers: Vanessa Batiste, Mary Colomb, Shannon Broussard, Lisa Greene, Gertie Kennerson, Darlene Allen and Lisa Guidry.

Hines says goodbye to his loving family, relatives, friends, and professional acquaintances – "See you in heaven."