Funeral service set for Edwardsville tornado victim. Here’s his full obituary
The funeral service for Austin Joe McEwen, one of six workers killed when a tornado struck an Amazon warehouse last week in Edwardsville, is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at Barry Wilson Funeral Home in Maryville.
Visitation is Friday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Lake View Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Fairview Heights.
Following is McEwen’s obituary, which appeared Dec. 15 in the Belleville News-Democrat:
Austin Joe McEwen
Caseyville, Illinois - Austin Joe McEwen, age 26 of Caseyville, IL, born March 29, 1995 at Memorial Hospital in Belleville, IL, passed away on Saturday, December 11, 2021.
Austin was a 2013 Collinsville High School graduate having played baseball and hockey for the Kahoks. Before becoming a Kahok, he played hockey for the O’Fallon Panthers. He also played club hockey for the Southern Illinois IceHawks and Affton Americans. His love and passion for the game earned him a scholarship at McKendree University where he played for the Bearcats two years. Austin graduated from Vatterott College and was employed at Amazon as a delivery driver. He was a member of Wild Rural Park hunting club, loved bird hunting - pheasants and turkeys, going to concerts, and traveling with the love of his life, Sarah Biermann. He was a wonderful son, with a big heart, who would do anything for anyone. He was loved immensely and will be dearly missed.
He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Jack C. and Doris (nee Evans) Merritt, Sr.; paternal grandmother, Darlene McEwen; many aunts and uncles; and canine, Vapor.
Surviving is his parents, Randall Joe and Alice (nee Merritt) McEwen; his love, Sarah Biermann and her two sons, Connor and Aiden; paternal grandfather, Billy Joe McEwen; Dylan and Dayle McEwen, his cousins who were like a brother and sister to him; three aunts: Melody McEwen, April (Steve) Starr, and Donna (John) Lowe; many dear cousins; friends that were like family; and his canine companions, Myst, Bleu and Delta.
Visitation will be 2 – 7 p.m. on Friday, December 17, 2021 at Barry Wilson Funeral Home in Maryville, IL.
Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 18, 2021 at the funeral home with Rev. Phil Barbier officiating. Due to current state restrictions, masks are required to be worn while in the funeral home.
Burial will be in Lake View Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Fairview Heights, IL.
Memorials may be made in Austin’s honor to Sarah Biermann and will be received at the visitation or can be mailed to the funeral home at 2800 N. Center Street, Maryville, IL 62062.
Condolences may be expressed to the family at barrywilsonfuneralhome.com