New Gazebo Dedicated at Sesquicentennial

The new gazebo and bench were dedicated in memory of the late Kevin Austin Saturday morning in ceremonies. Funds raised in lieu of flowers for Austin as well as volunteer labor helped pay for construction. Charity Austin, widow of Kevin, thanked all the people who put in time to help build the gazebo in time for the Sesquicentennial. Among the people and businesses who helped were Davidson Construction as well as Chevy Davidson personally, Monticue Construction, Goff Construction, Worth County Lumber, Gary and Roberta Owens, Brian Monticue, Dick VanVactor, Lenny Campbell, Terry Sheddrick, and Rhonda Mullock. It was put together despite various weather extremes from extreme heat to extreme cold. Fern and Haley Sheddrick, Linda Brown, Bill and Julie Tracy, Barb Findley, and Roberta Owens helped put together the garden that surrounded the gazebo.
Gene Austin, Kevin’s father, said that Kevin grew up in the city but came home to Worth County after Dan and Naomi Whitehouse bought Country Corners. He said that Kevin loved people and loved to talk about what was going on around the community. “He just wanted to make this a better place to live,” he said. Austin grew up in Worth County but left in 1960; he thanked the community for standing behind Charity. “Kevin was so full of life; hopefully, it will inspire all of you to do great things,” he said.
Len Green, who was Kevin Austin’s pastor, talked about the story of Joseph, who was taken to a place he did not want to go but went on to protect Egypt against a famine as well as the rest of the Middle East as second in command there. Pointing to the time where there came a generation which forgot about Joseph, he said that it was good for the monument to be there so that Kevin could be remembered. He noted that the gazebo was an idea in the mind of Kevin, who wanted to give something for the community to use in the courtyard.
Green said that he missed Kevin’s trademark laugh. “I’ve got a video of him laughing during one of our Christmas productions and that will be one of the most precious things I’ll have to remember him by,” he said.
A letter from former commissioner Bill Mozingo was read. Mozingo was unable to be there that morning but wrote that he was proud of how much Kevin had done under difficult circumstances and remembered him as a person who wanted to make Worth County a better place to live.
The memorial bench that goes with the gazebo has a picture of Kevin on the front. On the back it states, "Kevin Austin loved this community. He considered it an honor to serve and work on behalf of Worth County. His legacy will live on as we give back to our community and make it the best it can be for future generations to enjoy.”