Richard E. Austin Jr. ’84

Rich Austin died Aug. 20, 1998, at the home of his brother Ron in San Francisco. He graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1989 and completed surgical residency at U. of San Francisco in 1995 and a thoracic surgery fellowship at U. of Washington in June 1998. He had accepted a position at the Arizona Heart Institute that would have allowed him to both practice surgery and pursue his research interests.

At Princeton, Rich played lightweight football, was a member of Cottage Club, and impressed all he met with his brilliance, versatility, curiosity, and overwhelming energy. While pursuing his extraordinarily rigorous medical specialty, he somehow found time to patent a heart valve design, work on computer modeling of coronary blood flow and artificial intelligence, serve as medical adviser to biotechnology companies, and start his own businesses. One of his Princeton friends remembers him as "most likely to call out of the blue with an interesting idea." Others recall his insatiable thirst for knowledge and quick wit.

The class extends its deepest sympathy to Rich's mother, Rosemary, brothers Ron and Tony, and sisters Cyndie Cota and Robin Weerts.

The Class of 1984