James and Summer Austin

1965 - 2016

James Allen Austin, 51
James Allen Austin, 51, of Houston, Texas, died along with his wife, Summer Anne Austin, 38, in a private plane crash near the West Houston Airport July 8, 2016.
James was born April 29, 1965 in Plymouth, a son of Richard A. and Corine (Crawford) Austin. He graduated from Peru High School in 1983. In 1984, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. Following his discharge, he earned an associates degree from IPFW, Fort Wayne, and a bachelor's degree from Huntington University.
The couple was married April 24, 2004. Jim was a key account manager with Systech Environmental, Houston, Texas.
Jim is survived by two sons, Brice R. Austin and Brock A. Austin; their mother, Barbara Springer Austin, of Blue Springs, Mo.; two granddaughters; his parents, Richard and Corine Austin, of South Whitley; a brother, James W. (Jill) Austin, of Peru; and sister, Mary Jo Austin, of Fort Wayne.

Summer Anne Austin, 38
Summer was born Aug. 1, 1977 in Memphis, Tenn., a daughter of Leo A. and Maureen M. (Melvin) Sieben. She was a graduate of Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts and earned a bachelor's degree from University of Memphis.
Summer was vice-president of marketing for Camden Property Trust, Houston, Texas.
Summer is survived by her parents, Leo A. and Maureen M. Sieben, of Memphis, Tenn.; brothers, Leo (Sarah) Sieben, III, of Fort Worth, Texas, and James (Lisa) Sieben, of Frisco, Texas; and a sister, Mariah (Mohanad) Salin, of Memphis, Tenn.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4 at Smith and Sons Miller Chapel, South Whitley. The couple will be interred together at South Whitley Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday from 1 p.m. until the service at the funeral home.
Preferred memorials for Jim are to the Agapé Missions, Collamer Christian Church, South Whitley, or Huntington University Alumni Association. For Summer, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Condolences may be sent to www.smithandsonsfuneralhome.com.