Adam Chester Austin passed away at home surrounded by his family, listening to Tori Amos, on the night of July 19th. He had been battling pancreatic cancer for the past 1.5 years.

In 1977, SETI detected the still inexplicable Wow! Signal emanating from deep space, and Adam Austin was born. Coincidence?

Adam is survived by many loved ones, including his parents, Iranae Wolfgram Austin and Robert Austin; his sisters and their partners Eve Austin and Derreck Mclintock, Colleen Austin and Jared Jones, and Jennifer Austin and Radu Iuhas; his grandmothers, Doris Reedy and Audrey Kolessar; his niece and great nephew Kaycee Corwin and Julien Fisler. He will be deeply missed by countless family and friends.

Adam lived a life of richness, although his path was far from gilded. Being the only brother among three sisters was surely a challenge. Adam bore it with grace and courage, growing into what can only be described as the best brother ever.

Prior to his illness, Adam was a floor supervisor at the Carlisle Amazon warehouse. Outside of work, he loved to design and build amplifiers and other cool electronics, create and listen to music, peruse the universe with his telescope, study science (especially physics, chemistry, and astronomy), converse with the birds and mantises that frequented his home, hike, and appreciate each moment as it unfolded. He was an inventive and talented chef who loved to cook for friends and family. Widely described as "a cool dude," Adam was a deeply sincere, kind, and compassionate person who touched more lives than can be counted and enriched this world beyond measure with both his wit and character. Words cannot express how much he will be missed.

In honor of the joy Adam brought to the world, the family will host a Celebration of Life picnic on July 31st. To RSVP, please contact the family at 717-462-1404. In lieu of flowers, please donate to http://www.ssamusic.org which helps disadvantaged youth cultivate musical appreciation and talent.