NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (BRAIN) — A Celebration of Life ceremony is being planned in honor of Bill Austin, a longtime bicycle industry leader who died last month at 78.
The event is being held at Rutgers University's Kirkpatrick Chapel in New Brunswick on Feb. 20. It will be followed by a Repost Reception at a facility in Piscataway, New Jersey. Austin played for Rutgers from 1956 to 1958 and was selected by the Associated Press as a first-team player on the 1958 College Football All America Team. He finished sixth in voting for the Heisman Trophy that year.
Austin also received Honorable Mention All-American honors in lacrosse in 1958 and 1959 and was inducted into the New Jersey Sportswriters Hall of Fame in 2011.
After serving in the Air Force and working for General Electric, Austin entered the bike industry, where he held executive leadership positions at Schwinn, Giant USA and Raleigh Bicycles, and was also an active board member of the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association.
The family is asking that in lieu of flowers, gifts be made in Austin's memory to the Rutgers University Foundation and earmarked for the Austin Scholarship for Academic and Athletic Achievement.
Details of the February events are on the attached flier. The family is requesting RSVPs for the reception at austingroupjb@aol.com or (727) 785-8545.
