Luanna Austin

Luanna Smart Austin—mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother and the steady heart of our family—passed away peacefully on August 13, 2025 at the age of 94. Born on a small farm outside Herrick, she met Ralph Austin, the love of her life, at a local dance. Their marriage lasted more than 50 years, built on devotion, constant companionship, and a mutual embrace of each other’s eccentricities. After his passing, she carried his memory with grace and grit. Luanna made her home the family’s anchor—a place where the coffee was always on, the door always open, and the holiday table groaned under the weight of her famous oyster dressing, scalloped potatoes, and, of course, her chick and baloney salads. Her commitment reached far beyond her front door. She organized 4H fairs, ran community fundraisers, and once led the Fourth of July parade as Grand Marshal. She was also a proud member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Herrick Homemakers and the Order of the Eastern Star for more than five decades. She will be remembered for her wry wit, stiff upper lip, and clear-eyed approach to life. Her legacy—love, loyalty, and connection—lives on in the generations she shaped. She is survived by her three daughters, Sandra Austin, Marla Wilkie, and Laura Kay Kramer; grandchildren Shannon Langrand (Matt), Erik Taniges (Stephanie), Brandy Logue (Jake), Joe Wilkie (Brianna), Megan Howard (Darin), and Austin Kramer (Heather); great-grandchildren Colombe and Marcelo Emal-Langrand, Brianna Wood, Austin Taniges, Emily Cravens, Casey Hewkin, Tanner Seton, Braden and Alivia Young, Silas and Lucy Logue, Easton Kramer, and Dillon Gatons-Logue, Eastyn and Peyton Wilkie, Caylie, Colton, Shayne and Skylar Howard; great-great-grandchildren Nora, Benjamin, and Lucas Wood, and Zeb Young. She was preceded in death by her husband Ralph and her parents, Arthur and Marie Smart. A celebration of her life will be held Sunday, August 17, 2025 at the First Christian Church of Herrick, with visitation at 1:30 p.m., followed by services at 3:30 p.m. Burial will be in Myers Cemetery, Herrick Township, Shelby County, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Quad County Hospice or the First Christian Church of Herrick in honor of her lifelong generosity and care for others. Rest well, Luanna. You made us who we are.

Luanna Austin

February 2, 1931 - August 13, 2025