Mildred Marie Austin

Mildred Marie Roland Austin of Darlington, Maryland (formerly of Forest Hill), wife of the late Marvin Vernon "John" Austin, passed away at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center on June 29, 2010 at the age of 87. She and her late husband were married for 60 years prior to his death on November 11, 2003. She was born in Havre de Grace, one of nine children to Etter Lewis Roland and Elihu G. Roland of Churchville, MD.

She is survived by her daughters, Janice Austin Hopkins of Bel Air and Beverly Austin Billings and her husband, Ben F. Billings, of Darlington; her grandchildren, Deborah K. Chandler and husband, Richard, of Bel Air, Clifford "John" Hopkins and wife, Chrissy, of Forest Hill, Angela H. Schmidt and husband, Michael, of White Hall, Thomas Billings of Las Vegas, NV, Timothy B. Billings and wife, Jill Billings of Forest Hill, and Troy Austin Billings of Minneapolis, MN; great-grandchildren, Kayla, Gracie, and John Austin Hopkins, Austin and Brody Schmidt, Gavin Billings, and "Bella, Raven & Ozzy" Chandler; sisters, Virginia Witkowski of Churchville, and Louise Pruitt of Jacksonville, AR. She is predeceased by her brother, James H. Roland, and sisters, Ruth Heizer, Dana Kilby, Fae Mitchell, Hazel Bettinger, and Edith Comer. She is survived by 14 nephews and nieces; 25 great nieces and nephews; 22 great-great-nieces and nephews; and brother-in-law, Ralph A. Austin of Bel Air.

Mildred resided in Baldwin, MD until 1957 when she and her husband purchased a family farm and named it Hillside Farm in Forest Hill and moved their family to the farm. She and her husband operated the dairy farm until the early 1960's and then rented out the farm land; she lived at the farm until April 2008. She worked as a legal secretary retiring from the law firm of Cameron and Reed of Bel Air after working there for 37 years. She also prepared income tax returns for many years for family and friends. She was a member of the Churchville Presbyterian Church for 71 years and was still active until the time of her death. She was the treasurer for the Churchville Presbyterian Day Care Center for over 25 years. In her younger years, she was active in the agricultural community, always having a garden and entering her canned goods in the County Fair that was located at the old race track in Bel Air (now the Harford Mall).

She was well known for her fabulous dinner rolls, delicious coleslaw and potato salad. She had a warm outgoing personality and was a positive influence on those around her. She loved her family and enjoyed family outings.

Services are provided by McComas Funeral Home, P.A, in Bel Air. Viewings will be held at the Churchville Presbyterian Church, 2844 Churchville Road, Churchville, MD on July 6, 2010 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and on July 7 from 10-11 a.m. Funeral immediately following the July 7 viewing. Interment will be in the church cemetery.

Flowers are welcome but those who desire may make donations to Churchville Presbyterian Church Building Fund,