Austin Richard Schraff passed away on August 17, 2021 at the age of 87. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Austin counted his days as a Cleveland paper boy as a key factor in building the work ethic that would lead him to success later in life. He fondly recalled as a boy taking the bus by himself to Cleveland Browns games at Cleveland Stadium and the Cleveland Zoo, which spoke to his sense of independence. As a high school graduate, Austin enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as a pilot navigator in the Korean War. After his service, Austin attended Miami University of Ohio. One of his early jobs was working for International Paper, but he eventually moved on to Wall Street as an institutional investor. He established relationships with clients nationally, with a focus on San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Austin met his beloved wife, Ann (since divorced), while skiing at Mont Tremblant near Montreal. Both were avid sportspersons and sports fans during their marriage, attending college and professional football games, as well as many U.S. Open tennis tournaments at Forest Hills and Flushing Meadows. Austin and Ann passed this zeal for sports to their sons, Scott, Greg and Richard, each of whom played college lacrosse—Scott at Brown University and Duke University, Greg at Duke University, and Richard at Michigan State University.
Austin raised his family in Wilton, Connecticut, where he was a member of the Wilton Riding Club and a multi-year winner of the club’s tennis tournaments. While in Wilton, Austin pursued his passion for flying by piloting his Bellanca Super Viking single-engine plane on the weekends in Connecticut, including buzzing over the family home, and taking trips from coast to coast and to the Caribbean to visit friends and on family vacations. Austin was a member of the Darien Men’s Association, and loved the group’s guided historical walking tours of New York City. He was also an avid bridge player, paddle tennis player and golfer. Austin was a longtime and active member of The Connecticut Golf Club, Easton, Connecticut, and Sankaty Head Golf Club, Nantucket, Massachusetts. He loved playing golf competitively and was a regular participant in, and winner of, the Sankaty member-member, member-guest, and the Fall Classic tournaments. Austin played competitive golf until 2019.
Austin is survived by his former wife, Ann, of Phoenix, Arizona; sons, Scott (Barclay) of Phoenix, Arizona, Greg (Nicole) of Durham, North Carolina, and Richard of Nantucket, Massachusetts; brother Tim (Bonnie) of Vermilion, Ohio, sister Diane Tomlinson of Charlotte, North Carolina; grandchildren Arden Schraff, Quintin Schraff, Meade Schraff, Lucy Schraff and Ellie Andrews; and nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents Austin and Gertrude, and his sister Marilyn.
The family was assisted by Clements Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc. in Durham. Online condolences may be sent to www.clementsfuneralservice.com.