Dr. Peter AustinPeter Samuel Austin, 69, passed away Thursday May 10, 2018. He was born in Duluth on August 1, 1948, to Walter and Irma (Spitzer) Austin.
He graduated from Central High School (1966) and then attended UMD for two years before completing his BA in Political Science at the Twin Cities campus (1970). Peter graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical
School (1974), where he served as class president. He then completed an intern year in Portland, Oregon
before returning to the Twin Cities for an ophthalmology residency at the U of MN. While at the University of
Minnesota he met Sarah Bonney Kincaid. They were married on July 1, 1973 in Rochester, Minnesota. Peter
moved back to Duluth in 1978 and established an ophthalmology practice in the Medical Arts Building,
later known as Austin and Treacy. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Duluth, a past president of the
Lake Superior Medical Society, and served as a board member at Northland Medical Associates and Temple
Israel. He helped coach his children’s sport teams and was a cub scout pack leader. He enjoyed downhill
skiing, fishing, water sports, being at the cabin, and spending time with family and friends. Peter also cherished
frequent travel adventures and fishing trips with his lifelong friends, Mike McLish and Ron Abernethy.
His parents, uncle Egon Spitzer, and grandmother Gisela Spitzer preceded him in death. Peter is survived
by his wife, Bonney; children Bryan (Jessica), Jonathan (Bren Elizalde), Nicholas (partner Kendra Coonse), and Alexandra Austin (Nick Ullrich); sister Ruth (Arthur) Hafner of Chicago, IL; nephews Zachary, Ethan, and Jeremy Hafner; niece Tamar Waller; sisters-in-law Linda (Richard) Dick and Elizabeth (Brian) Stinson; and his faithful canine companions, Piper and Charley
Peter and I were friends from an early age as our familes were immigrants to Duluth from Europe and members of Duluth's "International Friendship Club". -HD
Henry Djerlev
He graduated from Central High School (1966) and then attended UMD for two years before completing his BA in Political Science at the Twin Cities campus (1970). Peter graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical
School (1974), where he served as class president. He then completed an intern year in Portland, Oregon
before returning to the Twin Cities for an ophthalmology residency at the U of MN. While at the University of
Minnesota he met Sarah Bonney Kincaid. They were married on July 1, 1973 in Rochester, Minnesota. Peter
moved back to Duluth in 1978 and established an ophthalmology practice in the Medical Arts Building,
later known as Austin and Treacy. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Duluth, a past president of the
Lake Superior Medical Society, and served as a board member at Northland Medical Associates and Temple
Israel. He helped coach his children’s sport teams and was a cub scout pack leader. He enjoyed downhill
skiing, fishing, water sports, being at the cabin, and spending time with family and friends. Peter also cherished
frequent travel adventures and fishing trips with his lifelong friends, Mike McLish and Ron Abernethy.
His parents, uncle Egon Spitzer, and grandmother Gisela Spitzer preceded him in death. Peter is survived
by his wife, Bonney; children Bryan (Jessica), Jonathan (Bren Elizalde), Nicholas (partner Kendra Coonse), and Alexandra Austin (Nick Ullrich); sister Ruth (Arthur) Hafner of Chicago, IL; nephews Zachary, Ethan, and Jeremy Hafner; niece Tamar Waller; sisters-in-law Linda (Richard) Dick and Elizabeth (Brian) Stinson; and his faithful canine companions, Piper and Charley
Henry Djerlev
Peter and I were friends from an early age as our familes were immigrants to Duluth from Europe and members of Duluth's "International Friendship Club". -HD