Austin Doolittle III

Austin Doolittle III, 84, of Austin, passed away Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024. He was born Jan. 9, 1940, in Longview, to Austin Doolittle Jr. and Alice Dickerson Doolittle.

He graduated from Paul Pewitt High School and went on to Southern Arkansas University on an athletic scholarship. He received a Bachelor’s of Science in Physical Education and Social Studies in 1962 from East Texas State University in Commerce.

Following the completion of his degree, he took a job at Elgin Jr. High and Elgin High School as a teacher and coach of high school football, track and field and basketball. He worked there until the spring of 1963, at which point he joined the Texas Army National Guard where he served for six months basic training.

After his time in the Texas Army National Guard, Austin went on to teach and coach at H.G. Isbel and McGregor High School, where he worked from 1964 to 1970. During this time, he married his beloved wife, Dorothy Moore, in 1965.

The pair had plenty of adventures together while Austin continued to work in education, being recruited again to Elgin High School Independent School District until 1974, when he was hired by the Texas Comptroller’s Office. He did this for a while before moving back to Elgin to teach and coach at Booker T. Washington Middle School. During that time he joined the Navy Reserve in Austin.

Austin worked in Elgin until 1977, when he and Dorothy moved to Columbia, Missouri, where he worked at the University of Missouri Medical Center as an assistant occupational therapist. He was also installing van lifts for mobility impaired clients and sold medical equipment.

In 1979, Austin and Dorothy headed back to Texas, this time to Houston, where Austin taught and coached at Cypress Fairbanks ISD. They were there until 1986.

From there, they moved first to Palo Alto, California. Austin worked in sales and then they moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, to work in an upscale sporting goods store.

In 1997, Austin and Dorothy once again returned back to Elgin, where he took care of the family farm until 2014, when they moved to downtown Austin for retirement.

He is preceded in death by his father, Austin Doolittle Jr.; mother, Alice Dickerson-Holt Doolittle; brother, Guy Holt; and sister, Mary Alice Youngblood.

Austin is survived by his wife of 58 years, Dorothy Moore Doolittle; brother, Johnny Doolittle of Texarkana, Arkansas; nephew, Jamie Youngblood and wife Gina of Hugh Springs; nieces, Melody Pittman-Simpler and husband of Sulphur Springs; Monique Bishop and husband of Naples; and Cacie Houser of San Antonio; as well as many great nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held Feb. 3, at 10:30 a.m. at downtown St. David’s Episcopal Church at 301 East 8th St. in Austin. Parking is provided at the St. David’s garage.

Interment will be at St. David’s Columbarium. A reception will be in Sumner Hall following the interment.

Please no floral arrangements. In lieu of flowers consider making a donation in Austin’s memory to Huston-Tillotson University, 900 Chicon St., Austin, TX, 78702.