Trish Austin

Patricia Gail Austin, 62, of Rule, Texas, died 10/31/2026.

Trish was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She shared her life with her husband, Gene Austin, and loved her family fiercely. She was the mother of Grant and Becky Williamson, Jenny and Doug Easterling, and Luke and Kayla Hisey, and grandmother to Eloise, Connie, Violet, Tex, Beatrice, Kacie, Nathan, Kameron, Krue, Molli, Nash, Tilar, Miles, Kyla, Killian, and Keenan. She is also survived by her sisters Marilyn Simpson and Frieta Boyce, her sister-in-law Sarah Stewart, and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

Trish was a farmer, teacher, hairdresser/stylist and one of the hardest-working women there was. When her children were in school, she volunteered at their school and church. She did hair from her home before opening a permanent place in town, where her chair became much more than a place to get one’s hair done. People came to talk, to be heard, and to find comfort. Trish counseled them with honesty and love, and she had a way of loving even the strangers who walked through her door. She welcomed people into her life and her heart. Many became “adopted” family, and the children who came into her life were loved as her own. She once ran a children’s home, a reflection of the care she gave so freely. Trish laughed, spoke the truth in love, and stood up fiercely whenever she saw an injustice. She could take what little she had and make something wonderful—whether it was a meal, a gift, or a way to help someone in need.

Trish loved Jesus and read her Bible. Even when money was scarce, she gave what she could to her church and to missions. She also made beautiful beaded art and loved hearing Marilyn play the piano whenever she visited. Her favorite hymn was “It Is Well with My Soul.” When Trish became ill with MS, the hard-working life she had always known changed. But her love for her family, her faith, and the many people she had welcomed into her heart remain part of the lives she touched.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at First Baptist Church in Rule, Texas. Cremation will take place following the service. Arrangements are under the care of Smith Family Funeral Homes of Rule.