Austin Schutz

Austin was the kind of person who would stop on the highway to help people with a flat tire; he was always there for friends–and even strangers–he found in need. He flew around the country to help friends recover from surgeries, working remotely. He registered himself as a minister so that he could officiate at the wedding of many of his friends, including some of the early LGBTQ+ marriages in Oregon. Austin’s circle of friends was broad, and his escapades crossed oceans.

He loved the outdoors, and spent many days hiking up into forests to clear his mind. The beginning of COVID saw him embark on a full year of running at least a mile, every single day. He sought to improve his mind as an avid meditator. You could often find him engaged in vigorous debates about the issues of the times; he held quite strong opinions. Constantly learning, he taught himself many different skills, including how to play the ukulele (he had many of them), and French by reading Harry Potter In translation. He always wanted to be an inventor and an entrepreneur, running his own company, but unfortunately was never quite able to find the time to make this a reality. He had a dry sense of humor, at one point connecting a set of Christmas chimes into his doorbell and reprogramming them to play the Harry Potter theme (you will hear it if you visit his house), and populating his new Auxiliary Dwelling Unit with a range of strange and wonderful items.

Austin graduated from Lane Community College with an Associates Degree. He was a founder and co-owner of The Habit coffee shop in Portland, Oregon.  He moved up through the ranks at a range of companies, including Teleport Internet Services, CollegeNet, Global Crossing, and Autodesk, becoming an accomplished and widely respected senior network engineer.

Austin is survived by his two beloved children Raina and Ci Ci, the centers of his life, as well as by his brother, Aaron, and his father, Bob. His mother, Gretchen, and his other brother, Jeremy, passed away many years ago.