Fred Charles Austin 1926â2020 NorthfieldâWhat a gift it is to be able to look back on one s life of 94 years and say a life well lived . Fred Charles Austin was born to Fred Eli and Mary (Green) Austin, in Owatonna, MN on April 19, 1926 and passed away on December 21, 2020 at his home in Northfield, MN. The oldest of two children, he was joined by his sister, Marjorie Jane. He graduated from Owatonna High School in 1944. In high school, he was known for his athletic prowess, especially in baseball. With World War II in progress, Fred served in the Air Corps of the US Army from 1944-46. Upon his return he attended Mankato State College to play baseball but finished his schooling at the University of MN in 1949 with a degree in business. He married the love of his life, Joyce Elsey, on September 25, 1948. After losing his beloved mother to cancer in 1949, he and Joyce returned to Owatonna to help raise his younger sister and work in the family business. He began his career a