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Lee Alan Austermann, age 88, passed away at home with his wife and children at his bedside on Thursday morning, June 13, 2024.
He was born April 30, 1936 in Chicago to Leon and Helen (Smith) Austermann. They moved to Three Rivers when he was nine, where he attended school through graduation. He joined the Air Force where he served domestically and in England for 6 years. Lee enrolled in WMU and earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Higher Education. While at Western, he met his wife Georgia while working as an orderly at Borgess Hospital and she was a senior nursing student in the psychiatric ward, often kidding about meeting in a psych unit. They married June 10, 1961 and moved to Saginaw. He began his career in education at St. Andrews school for 2 years followed by 8 years at Swan Valley, both in Saginaw. During this time, Lee completed his Master’s Degree at CMU. He moved his family to Sturgis in 1973 after accepting the principal’s position at Burr Oak. Two years later, he accepted a teaching position with Sturgis Public Schools. Lee was instrumental in starting the Alternative Education program in the 1970’s and bringing Project Wild to the middle school in the 1980’s. Lee was often tasked with teaching classes that no one else was willing to teach, and took them on with Gusto, even teaching home economics near the end of his career. He retired from teaching in 1992. Lee was part of the fabric of his community. He served 2 terms as City Commissioner, 30 years on the Sister City Committee, where he was an exchange teacher for 3 months in Wiesloch, Germany, and 20 years on the board of Sturgis Neighborhood Project. He also served his community as a member of the Sturgis ZBA, COA, Cemetery and Parks Board, VIPs Program, the Auditorium Board, Sturgis Council of the Arts, and St. Joe County CERTS. In 2010, along with Georgia, Lee was awarded the Book of Golden Deeds, by the Sturgis Exchange Club for their years of service in the community. In his “free time” Lee spent 27 years as an official with both the Indiana and Michigan High School Athletic Associations, refereeing football, volleyball, baseball, and softball. He had leadership roles in the 3rd and 4th Degree Knights of Columbus, Lions and Optimist Club where he served as State Lieutenant governor.
Lee is survived by Georgia (Dimas), his loving wife of 63 years, son David (Tina) of Coral Springs, FL, daughter Karen of Sturgis, daughter Michele Garcia (Robert) of Cutler Bay, Fl, and son L. Michael, leaving a big hole in many hearts who knew and loved him. Special thanks to Tami Millard N.P., who helped us transition through this difficult loss with warmth, sincerity, and compassion.
The family will receive friends and relatives on Thursday, June 20, 2024 from 1:00 to 3:00 and 5:00 to 7:00 P.M., at the Rosenberg Chapel of Hackman Family Funeral Homes, 807 E. Chicago Rd., Sturgis, MI 49091. A Rosary Service will be held on Thursday at 7:00 P.M. at the funeral home.
Funeral Mass celebrating the life of Lee A. Austermann will be held at 11:00 A.M., Friday, at Holy Angels Catholic Church, 402 S. Nottawa St., Sturgis, MI 49091 with Father Andrew Raczkowski, celebrant.
Interment and graveside services will follow in Oak Lawn Cemetery with full military honors by the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard and the Capt. John J. Kelley V.F.W. Post #1355. Memorial donations may be directed to Holy Angels Catholic Church, Sturgis Neighborhood Program, or Camp Fort Hill, envelopes are available at the Hackman Family Funeral Homes who has been entrusted with the arrangements.
