The boy from Arkansas made his mark in the Mississippi Delta as a lawyer, who despite being legally blind, was quite meticulous in his work. Austin served the city of Indianola as an alderman in the late 1970s and early 1980s and later would serve as the city’s lawyer and county prosecutor. Austin, 74, passed away in late August. Former Indianola Mayor Steve Rosenthal worked with Austin for decades.
“The amazing thing is I would introduce him to somebody and talk to them a few days later and they never knew he was legally blind,” Rosenthal said. “That was not a crutch. In so many cases, it heightened all his other senses. He’d call me up and talk about an area of town that needs this fixed and needs that fixed and I’d ask him how he knew. He’d say, ‘I can ride on it and tell you it needs to be fixed.’”
Serving as the board’s lawyer, Austin was all business but had a flair for humor.
“He had a great sense of humor but it was a real dry sense of humor. He was meticulous as an attorney and you think how in the world could you go to law school when it takes you twice as long to read the stuff that so many attorneys had to work through. He utilized the technology of that era. It didn’t stop Gary. He knew the law like the back of his hand and knew how to use it. Gary could read a law and tell you ‘we can use this law to do this that and the other.’”
Rosenthal met Austin when the lawyer was first a city alderman.
“He always asked the hard questions. He loved Indianola and it wasn’t a job. He wanted to do things for Indianola,” Rosenthal said. “He loved his family and just enjoyed life. People so many times see a person of handicap and that’s all you see. But Gary was different. He didn’t want anybody treating him different because he was blind.”
The former mayor was constantly amazed at all the things Austin could do despite his disability.
“He was always telling me he was building this and building that and I’m thinking how in the world are you running power tools? That’s Gary. He was going to get it done,” he said.
Serving as the city attorney, who normally are quiet during city meetings, Austin was known to get involved to protect the city.
“If he saw a conversation going the wrong way that might in the least little bit be questionable in the law, he would make the board aware whether they wanted to know or not,” he said. “He would guide us through it.”
Austin served most of a decade as the city attorney. He was all business while working but was just as fervent at having fun.
“He liked to party and have a good time. He was a very social person. He wanted to be in the middle of it,” Rosenthal said.
Retired attorney Richard Noble worked with Austin from time to time.
“Gary was a friend and fellow attorney. Liked working with him. He worked as city attorney for Indianola and served ably for a number of years. Well-respected and trusted in our profession. Good sense of humor,” Noble said.
Alderman Gary Fratesi worked with Austin as well during his city attorney days.
“Gary was a good attorney and he’ll be missed,” Fratesi said. “He was a real good guy. We talked several times after he moved to Jackson. I hated that he left.”
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, Sept. 30 at The Blue Biscuit in Indianola from 2:00-5:00 in the afternoon. All who knew Gary are invited to attend and share their fond memories.
In lieu of flowers and/or to honor Gary's memory, contributions may be made to the Mississippi School for the Blind, 1252 Eastover Drive, Jackson, MS 39211.
